Plebeij hominis Romani vxor; Vidua Romana; Nobilis virgo Romana; Prostibulum Romanum, quam Courtisanam vulgo nominant
Engraving, part of 'Omnium pene Europae, Asiae, Aphricae atque Americae Gentium Habitus' (Costumes of the various nations of Europe, Asia, Africa and America), a series of prints representing figures from various parts of the world, engraved by Abraham de Bruyn and published by Joos de Bosscher in 1580.
This engraving represents the wife of Roman plebeian, a Roman widow, a Roman noble girl, and a Roman prostitute. On the left, the wife of the plebeian wears a dress with short puff sleeves over long puff sleeves, trimmed with bows, the bodice and skirt both made with the same pattern, with a pattern of lozenges and pearls; the bodice is trimmed with ribbons and ruffles with pearls on the collar. Her hair is tied up and covered by a long veil, which hangs behind her back. She wears pendant pearl earrings, a pearl necklace, and holds her gloves on her right hand and a handkerchief on the left.
The Roman widow wears a long-sleeved dress made with plain fabric, trimmed with pearls on the collar, a pearl necklace, and her hair tied up and covered by a long veil. She holds her gloves on the right hand and a rosary on the left hand.
The Roman noble girl wears a dress with ruffled collar, long sleeves with a patter of lozenges and tiny crosses, trimmed with bows, a bodice with a chevron pattern, trimmed with pearls and oval medallions, and a skirt with a brocaded pattern of scrolling motifs and a border of four stripes with strips of small x-shapes. A long, double chain necklace hangs on her chest, holding a large jeweled pendant with a teardrop peatl hanging at the bottom. She wears a necklace of oval medallions with a hanging pendant. Her hair is tied up with a ribbon headband, from which hangs a pleated veil that falls behind her back. She holds her gloves in her left hand and a handkerchief in the right hand.
Finally, the Roman prostitute wears a dress with open collar with ruffles, long puff sleeves trimmed with bows, striped bodice, trimmed with bows and pearls, and with a jeweled corset ornament with pearls, and long skirt with pattern of scrolling leaves, bordered with three black stripes. She wears a jeweled necklace and earrings, and her hair tied up, with a veil covering her head, shoulders, and back.
This engraving represents the wife of Roman plebeian, a Roman widow, a Roman noble girl, and a Roman prostitute. On the left, the wife of the plebeian wears a dress with short puff sleeves over long puff sleeves, trimmed with bows, the bodice and skirt both made with the same pattern, with a pattern of lozenges and pearls; the bodice is trimmed with ribbons and ruffles with pearls on the collar. Her hair is tied up and covered by a long veil, which hangs behind her back. She wears pendant pearl earrings, a pearl necklace, and holds her gloves on her right hand and a handkerchief on the left.
The Roman widow wears a long-sleeved dress made with plain fabric, trimmed with pearls on the collar, a pearl necklace, and her hair tied up and covered by a long veil. She holds her gloves on the right hand and a rosary on the left hand.
The Roman noble girl wears a dress with ruffled collar, long sleeves with a patter of lozenges and tiny crosses, trimmed with bows, a bodice with a chevron pattern, trimmed with pearls and oval medallions, and a skirt with a brocaded pattern of scrolling motifs and a border of four stripes with strips of small x-shapes. A long, double chain necklace hangs on her chest, holding a large jeweled pendant with a teardrop peatl hanging at the bottom. She wears a necklace of oval medallions with a hanging pendant. Her hair is tied up with a ribbon headband, from which hangs a pleated veil that falls behind her back. She holds her gloves in her left hand and a handkerchief in the right hand.
Finally, the Roman prostitute wears a dress with open collar with ruffles, long puff sleeves trimmed with bows, striped bodice, trimmed with bows and pearls, and with a jeweled corset ornament with pearls, and long skirt with pattern of scrolling leaves, bordered with three black stripes. She wears a jeweled necklace and earrings, and her hair tied up, with a veil covering her head, shoulders, and back.
Artwork Details
- Title: Plebeij hominis Romani vxor; Vidua Romana; Nobilis virgo Romana; Prostibulum Romanum, quam Courtisanam vulgo nominant
- Artist: Abraham de Bruyn (Flemish, Antwerp 1540–1587 Cologne (?))
- Publisher: Joos de Bosscher (Netherlandish, active Amsterdam 1587–died 1591)
- Date: 1580
- Medium: Engraving
- Dimensions: Image: 8 5/8 × 12 11/16 in. (21.9 × 32.3 cm)
Frame: 10 in. × 14 5/16 in. (25.4 × 36.3 cm)
Sheet: 21 5/16 × 16 5/16 in. (54.2 × 41.5 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(101)
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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Habitus variarum orbis gentium / Omnium pene Europae, Asiae, Aphricae atque Americae Gentium Habitus
Multiple artists/makers
1581
Abraham de Bruyn
1580–1600
Abraham de Bruyn
1580–1600
Abraham de Bruyn
1576
Abraham de Bruyn
Claes Jansz. Visscher
ca. 1577
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