The Habit of Rubens's Son

by Thomas Jefferys

The exquisite engraving, printed by the celebrated map-maker and engraver Thomas Jefferys, provides us with a unique insight into the fashion of the seventeenth century. The print is an interpretation of the famous works by Peter Paul Rubens, whose clothing in the work portrays the "habit," that is, typical attire, worn by his son.

The print can be distinguished by its elaborate approach to depicting textures and fine details, ranging from the lace falling over the subject's shoulders to the shape of the doublet. This specific engraving belongs to a series of prints compiled by Jefferys in his famous ethnographic study A Collection of the Dresses of Different Nations, where the work stands out for its artistic merit and the significance of the Rubens family in European fashion.