Habit of an English Nobleman in 1559, Hand Colored Jefferys Costume Plate, 1757

This is an original antique copper engraving with hand coloring, lettered in script "Habit of an English Nobleman, in 1559." A bearded nobleman in a white ruff stands facing us, holding a pair of gloves in his right hand, on the viewer's left, and resting his left hand on the gilt hilt of a sword. He wears a lilac doublet buttoned down the front, full dark trunk hose, and white hose with blue garters and blue rosettes on his shoes. A red cloak lined in gold is thrown over his right shoulder.

The French caption beneath reads "Noble Anglois.", meaning English nobleman. The plate number 206 is engraved at lower right; no artist or engraver is named.

The plate belongs to the second volume of Thomas Jefferys' A Collection of the Dresses of Different Nations, Antient and Modern. Particularly Old English Dresses, published in London in 1757 by Jefferys, Geographer to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, in the Strand. The title page states that the figures were taken after the designs of Holbein, Vandyke, Hollar and others, and the work carried a parallel French title, Recueil des Habillements de Différentes Nations, which explains the two languages on every plate. The date 1559 marks the first full year of the reign of Elizabeth I.

A single standing figure on a generous margin, it suits a simple mount and frame and works well alone or in a group with other plates from the series.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.