Habit of Mary Queen of Scots in 1570, Hand Colored Jefferys Costume Plate, 1757

This is an original antique copper engraving with hand coloring, lettered in script "Habit of Mary Queen of Scots, in 1570". The queen stands facing us in a white lace cap and a large standing collar of lace, with a long white veil falling from her shoulders to the ground. Her blue gown opens over a front panel bordered in red and gold, embroidered and set with rows of pink and white puffs. A cross hangs on a red cord at her breast, and she touches it with her left hand while her right hand gathers the veil.

The French caption beneath reads "Marie Reine d'Ecosse.", meaning Mary, Queen of Scotland. The plate number 204 is engraved at lower right; no artist or engraver is named.

This is a plate from Volume II of A Collection of the Dresses of Different Nations, Antient and Modern, issued in London in 1757 by Thomas Jefferys, Geographer to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, from his premises in the Strand. Its title page credits the designs to Holbein, Vandyke, Hollar and others, and a French title page, Recueil des Habillements de Différentes Nations, accompanies the English one, so each figure is captioned in both languages. Mary Stuart fled to England in 1568 and was held there in captivity until her execution in 1587, so the date 1570 falls in the early years of her imprisonment.

The figure stands alone on the sheet with ample margins, so it frames easily and sits comfortably beside other costume plates.

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