Virgo Macedonica, Nobilis faemina Alexandrina, Faemina Macedonica
Engraving, part of 'Habitus variarum orbis gentium' (Costumes of the various peoples of the world), representing the costumes of men and women from various parts of the world, engraved after designs by Boissard and published by Rutz in 1581.
This engraving represents a girl and a woman from Macedonia, and a noblewoman from Alexandria. On the left, the Macedonian girl wears a robe with a tiered skirt and short, scallop-edged 'cap' sleeves over long puff sleeves, and a long, fringed scarf aorund the neck, hanging at the front o her skirt. The bodice of her robe has horizontal garlands with fruits and leaves. Her hair is curled, and on top of it she wears a flat hat with geometric patterns, jeweled embellishments, and a fringed scarf tied and loose at the back. She wears long, beaded pendant earrings.
On the center the noblewoman from Alexandria wears a long robe with long, wide bell sleeves. Over it she wears a mid-length cape with a brocaded pattern with geometric motifs on the torso and scrolling leaves on the skirt. The sides are slit for the arms to go through and the torso has two slashes to reveal fabric from the robe on the bust. She wears a tall hat with scalloping edges and a bundle of thin, long feathers, and a scarf above it.
On the right, the Macedonian woman wears a robe trimmed with a scrolling pattern around the neck, with long, wide bell sleeves, and over it a cape with slits on the sides for the arms to go through. A turban is wrapped around her head and tied under her chin. She stands on tall chopines.
This engraving represents a girl and a woman from Macedonia, and a noblewoman from Alexandria. On the left, the Macedonian girl wears a robe with a tiered skirt and short, scallop-edged 'cap' sleeves over long puff sleeves, and a long, fringed scarf aorund the neck, hanging at the front o her skirt. The bodice of her robe has horizontal garlands with fruits and leaves. Her hair is curled, and on top of it she wears a flat hat with geometric patterns, jeweled embellishments, and a fringed scarf tied and loose at the back. She wears long, beaded pendant earrings.
On the center the noblewoman from Alexandria wears a long robe with long, wide bell sleeves. Over it she wears a mid-length cape with a brocaded pattern with geometric motifs on the torso and scrolling leaves on the skirt. The sides are slit for the arms to go through and the torso has two slashes to reveal fabric from the robe on the bust. She wears a tall hat with scalloping edges and a bundle of thin, long feathers, and a scarf above it.
On the right, the Macedonian woman wears a robe trimmed with a scrolling pattern around the neck, with long, wide bell sleeves, and over it a cape with slits on the sides for the arms to go through. A turban is wrapped around her head and tied under her chin. She stands on tall chopines.
Artwork Details
- Title: Virgo Macedonica, Nobilis faemina Alexandrina, Faemina Macedonica
- Designer: Jean Jacques Boissard (French, 1528–1602)
- Engraver: Julius Goltzius (Netherlandish, died ca. 1595)
- Publisher: Caspar Rutz , Mechelen (Malines)
- Date: 1581
- Medium: Engraving
- Dimensions: Image: 8 7/8 × 12 3/16 in. (22.5 × 31 cm)
Frame: 10 13/16 × 14 1/4 in. (27.5 × 36.2 cm)
Sheet: 21 5/16 × 15 3/4 in. (54.2 × 40 cm)
Book: 21 7/8 × 16 3/4 × 1 15/16 in. (55.5 × 42.5 × 5 cm) - Classifications: Books, Prints, Ornament & Architecture
- Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1921
- Object Number: 21.44(41)
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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