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Collections

Jean Jacques Boissard
Habitus Variarum Orbis Gentium (Costume of the Various Peoples of the World)1581

Not on view
Hand-colored engraving, 1581 title page with architectural cartouche flanked by four allegorical female figures representing Europe, Africa, Asia, and America, with Latin and German text
Hand-colored engraving depicting three standing women in elaborate 16th-century Roman dress, each labeled with Latin and multilingual text above and below. Left figure wears a draped purple and red gown with green-trimmed hem; center figure in orange dress with lace veil holds a small object; right figure in green, blue, and gray layered robes with a draped head covering. Figures stand against a pale blue-sky background within a red-bordered frame.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three standing figures in late 16th-century Netherlandish costume: a man at left in paned doublet, trunk hose, and ruff collar holding a sword; a woman at center in striped yellow and red skirt with blue sleeves and feathered hat; a woman at right in green and orange gown. Latin and German captions appear above and below each figure.
Hand-colored engraving featuring an oval portrait medallion of a bearded man in profile, wearing a ruff collar and dark robes, seated at a desk with an open book. Latin and Greek verse inscriptions surround the medallion on a cream background.
Hand-colored engraving of three standing male figures in 16th-century Burgundian costume, each holding a walking stick or sword. Left figure seen from behind wears a large black cloak; center figure faces forward in teal and gold slashed doublet with paned trunk hose; right figure in blue brocade breeches and rust-colored jacket. German captions appear above and below each figure.
Hand-colored engraving featuring two circular medallion portraits of women in profile, with French and Latin text between and below them. Left medallion shows a woman in Renaissance dress with an elaborate jeweled headdress; right medallion shows a woman with braided hair and a ruffled collar. Both medallions have decorative orange and teal borders with inscribed names.
Hand-colored engraving of three full-length standing male figures in elaborate Venetian robes; left figure wears a green and orange brocade gown with fur trim, center figure wears layered rose and teal robes, right figure wears gold and blue draped garments; Latin and German inscriptions above and below each figure.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three full-length figures in late 16th-century French noble dress, standing against a pale background. Left figure wears a red-brown gown with teal undersleeves and feathered hat; center figure in gold and orange gown with large ruff collar; right figure in deep green gown with brocade sleeve. Latin and German captions appear above and below each figure.
Hand-colored engraving of three standing women in Venetian dress, each labeled with Latin and French inscriptions. Left figure wears a blue gown with veil; center figure wears a voluminous red robe holding a fan; right figure wears gold and striped dress with draped shawl, one arm extended.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three noblewomen in late 16th-century French court dress, shown from front, front, and back views. The central figure wears a teal blue mantle over an orange gown; the left figure wears mauve and green; the right figure is seen from behind in rose-pink. Latin and German captions appear above and below each figure.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three full-length figures in Venetian dress: at left, a woman facing forward in gold brocade gown with white veil and floral trim; center, a figure seen from behind draped in a mauve mantle over a green skirt; right, a figure in profile wrapped in a gray cloak over red and teal skirts. Latin and French inscriptions above and below each figure.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three full-length standing figures in Ottoman-era costume: at left, a robed figure in gold with a large white turban; center, a figure in teal robe and brown cloak with a tall red hat; right, a bearded figure in bright orange robe gesturing outward, wearing a plumed green hat. Latin and French inscriptions above and below each figure.
Hand-colored engraving of three standing figures in theatrical costumes: at left, a bearded man in a long robe with wide sleeves and black hat; center, a figure in an elaborate red brocade gown with large white ruff collar and feathered hat; right, a bearded man in green and orange costume playing a lute-like instrument. Latin and German captions appear above and below each figure.
Hand-colored engraving of three full-length standing figures in Eastern Mediterranean dress, labeled in Latin script above and below as Syrian, Greek, and Turkish women. Left figure wears layered teal and orange robes with a draped head covering; center figure wears a brown cloak over pleated skirts with a wide-brimmed hat; right figure wears gold and blue striped garments with a white wrapped headdress.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three full-length figures of women in elaborate 16th-century Italian dress, each wearing layered gowns and sheer veils; the leftmost in teal and orange, the center figure heavily veiled in pink, and the rightmost in mauve and gold, with inscriptions in Latin script above and below each figure.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three standing figures in layered robes and head coverings, with Latin inscriptions above and below each. Left figure faces forward in green and brown robes; center figure shown from behind in gold and orange, holding a staff with ornamental finial; right figure in profile wearing teal and pink robes with an ornamented belt. Orange border framing.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three standing figures in full-length dress, labeled with Latin and German text above and below. Left figure wears an ornate brown and gold brocade robe with a train; center figure is draped in a green and orange gown with a white veil; right figure is heavily veiled in gray-white fabric from head to floor.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three standing women in full-length Ottoman-era dress, with Latin and German captions above and below. Left figure wears a red and blue robe with feathered headpiece; center figure is draped in a yellow garment with white head covering; right figure wears orange and mauve robes with an ornate headdress.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three full-length standing female figures in elaborate Ottoman court dress, each wearing tall ornate headdresses with draped fabric. Left figure in orange and green layered robes, center figure in red and gold brocade holding a feathered fan, right figure in gold patterned robe with a decorative round fan. Latin and German inscriptions above and below each figure.
Hand-colored engraving of three full-length female figures in elaborate Roman dress, standing against a pale sky. Left figure wears layered gold, teal, and brown robes with a veil; center figure in a vivid red gown with white head covering and gold jewelry; right figure in muted mauve and green drapery with a dark headband. Latin and German captions appear above and below each figure.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three full-length standing figures in elaborate regional dress, labeled in Latin, French, and German script above and below. Left figure wears layered robes in teal, orange, and floral-patterned pink with a red hooded headpiece. Center figure wears a red and blue gown with gold trim and a white veil. Right figure is draped in a pleated brown and gold ensemble with a tall feathered or veiled headdress.
Hand-colored engraving of three full-length standing figures in elaborate late Renaissance Italian dress; left figure wears a voluminous orange gown with blue sleeves, center wears layered green and gold brocade robes with a red hat and veil, right wears draped mauve and rose robes with a white veil; Latin and German inscriptions appear above and below each figure within a red border.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three standing figures in elaborate regional dress, labeled in Latin and German script above and below. Left figure wears a red and gold brocade gown with a white veil; center figure is fully veiled in white with an orange outer robe; right figure wears layered green, red, and gray draped garments with gold ornamental trim.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three full-length figures in Florentine costume: at left, a woman in a voluminous gold gown with blue sash and white headdress; at center, a bearded man in a draped brown cloak and flat black hat holding a book; at right, a woman in a pink and green gown with a veiled hat. Latin and German captions appear above and below each figure.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three standing male figures in distinctive regional dress against a pale blue ground. Left figure wears a red and mauve layered robe with a black flat cap; center figure is draped in a flowing yellow-gold cloak with orange shoes; right figure wears a turquoise robe with orange sash and a large wrapped turban. Latin and German captions appear above and below each figure.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three full-length figures in 16th-century regional dress: a woman in teal gown with white veil facing left, a woman in mauve and gold layered robes facing forward, and a figure in rust-orange drapery seen from behind. Latin and German captions above and below each figure.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three standing figures in regional dress, with Latin and German captions below. Left figure wears animal-skin garment and carries a bow and arrows; center figure wears layered red and green draped clothing with a crown; right figure wears a tall conical hat and blue robe with orange sash.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three standing women in 16th-century Bolognese dress, shown in profile or three-quarter view. Left figure wears layered pink, green, and gold robes with a blue veil and holds a floral bouquet; center figure is draped head-to-toe in a white mantle over an orange skirt; right figure wears a dark brown all-enveloping cloak over a red gown. Latin and German captions appear above and below each figure.
Hand-colored engraving of three standing male figures in Ottoman-style robes and large wrapped turbans; left figure in teal and orange faces forward, center figure in blue and gold faces away, right figure in orange gestures upward; Latin and German captions above and below each figure.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three full-length figures of women in 16th-century regional dress: at left, a veiled woman in a mauve robe with green hem; center, a market woman in a wide-brimmed hat carrying large wicker baskets of fruit and vegetables; at right, a noblewoman in an elaborate orange gown with ruffled collar. Inscriptions in French and German above and below each figure.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three standing women in regional dress, each labeled with Latin and German script above and below. Left figure wears layered pink robes and a tall feathered headdress over a green floral skirt. Center figure in a blue textured gown with gold chain belt and a draped veil. Right figure fully enveloped in a red and teal-striped outer wrap with only her face visible.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three full-length standing figures of women in elaborate late Renaissance Italian dress, each labeled with Latin and German inscriptions above and below. Left figure wears a red gown with fur trim and white veil; center figure is draped in a large multicolored striped mantle over a green dress; right figure holds a folding fan and wears a gold-patterned orange gown with gray drapery. Red border frames the composition.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three standing women in Armenian dress, each labeled with Latin script above and below. Left figure wears layered robes and a wide flat hat; center figure in teal and red draped garments with a tall pointed headdress; right figure fully wrapped in a voluminous orange mantle.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three full-length figures of women in regional dress, each labeled with Latin and vernacular text above and below; left figure wears a brown cloak over red with a white veil, center figure stands in a peach gown with an orange shawl, right figure wears a draped yellow-gold robe with teal trim and a gray head covering.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three full-length standing figures in regional dress, each labeled with Latin and German script above and below. Left figure wears an orange-red striped outer wrap over blue garments with face covered; center figure wears a tall white headdress with teal and orange layered robes; right figure wears a pointed yellow headdress with gray-mauve robes.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three full-length figures of women in late 16th-century Mantuan dress, standing against a pale blue ground. Left figure wears a mauve gown and feathered headdress; center figure in gold-yellow gown with red sash; right figure in teal and brown layered robes with ruffled collar. Latin and German captions appear above and below each figure.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three standing figures in elaborate robes against a light blue background. Left figure wears a dark cloak over green trousers; center figure wears a blue mantle over orange-striped skirt; right figure wears a red robe with green sleeves and white sash. All wear wrapped turbans. Captions in German script appear below each figure.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three full-length figures in 16th-century Neapolitan dress, standing side by side. Left figure wears a rust-red mantle and carries a feathered fan; center figure faces away in an orange bodice and teal skirt with ruff collar; right figure is heavily draped in a white veil over olive and brown garments. Latin and German captions appear above and below each figure within a red-bordered frame.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three standing full-length figures labeled in Latin script above and below, each wearing elaborate feathered headdresses and draped garments in vivid blue, orange, red, and green; left figure holds leafy branches, center figure carries a bow and spear, right figure holds a long spear and bundle of arrows; orange and yellow ruled border.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three full-length figures in elaborate 16th-century Neapolitan dress; left figure faces forward in green cape and mauve skirt, center figure shown from behind in layered rust and gold gown, right figure in vivid red ensemble, each holding colorful flower-ball accessories. Latin and German captions above and below.
Hand-colored engraving of three standing figures in full-length draped robes: left in mauve and green, center in vivid red-orange with beaded necklace, right in gold and orange with head covering. Latin and French inscriptions above and below each figure label them 'Africana' and 'Africaine.' Red and orange decorative border frames the composition.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three standing women in Renaissance-era Italian dress, each labeled with Latin and German inscriptions. Left figure wears a full red draped gown with head covering; center figure in an ornate pink brocade gown holds a floral wreath; right figure wears a layered orange and green skirt with teal and orange bodice.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three standing figures in distinctive regional dress, each labeled with handwritten captions in Latin script. Left figure wears a feathered headdress, layered jewelry, blue trousers, and a red draped garment. Center bearded figure in an orange robe and tall hat holds a bow and arrows. Right figure wears a green and brown draped garment with a wrapped head covering. Orange decorative border frames the composition.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three standing women in 16th-century Swiss and Swabian regional dress, shown in full length against a pale blue ground. Left figure wears a mauve gown with green-trimmed cuffs and a black cap; center figure in pink striped skirt is shown from behind; right figure wears contrasting green, orange, and black with a lace ruff. Latin and German script labels appear above and below each figure.
Hand-colored engraving of three full-length female figures in 16th-century regional dress, standing side by side against a pale blue-gray background. Left figure wears a green skirt with gold embroidered panel and golden jacket; center figure in a mauve robe with draped white head covering; right figure in red and blue bodice with patterned dark skirt. Each figure has a caption in French and German script below.
Hand-colored engraving of three standing women in 16th-century dress, each wearing a tall white winged headdress. Left figure wears blue brocade skirt with red underskirt and black bodice; center figure wears green and yellow skirts with orange sleeves; right figure wears rose and copper-toned layered gown. Latin script captions appear above and below each figure within an orange decorative border.
Hand-colored engraving depicting three standing figures labeled in Latin script, arranged side by side against a light ground line and pale sky. Left figure wears layered green, orange, and striped robes and holds a spear; center figure is draped in a gold robe over a striped skirt; right figure wears a pink robe, white turban, and carries a sword. Bold orange and black border frames the composition.
Hand-colored engraving of three women in full-length 16th-century regional costumes, standing side by side against a pale gray background. Left figure wears a voluminous purple-red cloak; center figure faces forward in a teal and orange gown with white ruff collar; right figure turns away in a dark jacket and yellow skirt. Latin and German inscriptions appear above and below each figure.
Artist or Maker
Jean Jacques Boissard
France, 1533-1598
Title
Habitus Variarum Orbis Gentium (Costume of the Various Peoples of the World)
Place Made
France
Date Made
1581
Medium
Ink on paper with gouache, watercolor, and gold
Dimensions
10 1/2 x 14 in. (26.67 x 35.56 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of the 1994 Collectors Committee
Accession Number
AC1994.52.1a-yy
Classification
Books
Collecting Area
Costume and Textiles