Habillemens des Femmes de Smyrne, des Grecques et des Iuifves de Cette Ville

Clothing of the Women of Smyrna, the Greeks and the Jews of This City – Approximate Title Translation

A fascinating sheet highlighting the diverse nature of the former Greek colony of Smyrna, located on the coast of Anatolia. Includes four portraits of local women, a view of the River Hermus, and nearby historic sites. The copperplate-engraved sheet was originally published in Paris as part of Henri Abraham Chatelain’s important Atlas Historique. This monumental seven-volume set was first issued in Amsterdam between 1705 and 1720, but was re-printed in numerous in several subsequent editions until the late 1730s. The scholarly, but approachable, work was aimed at a broad audience, eager for new information during the Age of Enlightenment. The breadth of content offers a nuanced synthesis of geography, cosmography, history, religion, ethnology, and political science. The descriptive text (in French) and skillfully engraved maps, diagrams, and illustrations provide a fascinating window into the world of the early 18th century.