The image is a colored print depicting a "Lady of Quality in Burgundy in 1577," as indicated by the title below the illustration. The lady is dressed in a fashion typical of the late 16th century, with a focus on both opulence and form.
She wears a floor-length dress with a tight-fitting bodice and voluminous sleeves, which are puffed at the shoulders and fitted from the elbow to the wrist, a common style of the period. The bodice and sleeves are in a vibrant pink hue, while the skirt is a rich golden color, reflecting the status and wealth implied by the title "Lady of Quality." The skirt of the dress is held up slightly, revealing an underlayer or petticoat of a similar pink shade as the bodice.
The lady's attire is accessorized with a long, possibly pearl, necklace that hangs mid-torso. She also dons a wide-brimmed hat adorned with what appears to be blue ribbons or feathers, which complements the outfit and was likely a fashionable statement at the time.
Her hair is not fully visible, as it is covered by the hat and a veil or wimple that frames her face and falls onto her shoulders, which was typical headwear for women of the era. Her facial expression is poised and direct, with a hint of a smile, meeting the viewer's gaze confidently.
The print is likely from a series or collection, considering the style and presentation. It's an example of the historical interest in past fashions and a document of cultural heritage, likely created for educational or decorative purposes.
The place of issue is London, and the publisher is T. Jefferys, known for their work in the mid-18th century. This suggests that the image is most likely an engraving that was made to illustrate the fashions of the upper classes of the past century to a contemporary audience. The text on the image is a mix of English and French, which indicates that the target audience might have been bilingual or that the publishers catered to both English and French-speaking clientele. The hand-coloring is original and likely made in the year it was published.
Bartele Gallery. Original antique maps, sea charts, engravings and works on paper. This is a plain text rendering of a page that is otherwise built in the browser. The catalogue index is at https://www.bartele.net/catalogue and machine readable notes are at https://www.bartele.net/llms.txt.