Hab.t de l'Angleterre, from the playing cards (for quartets) "Costumes des Peuples Étrangers" 18th century

This playing card, "Hab.t de l'Angleterre," was printed in France and depicts a quartet of "Costumes des Peuples Étrangers," or costumes of foreign peoples. The image presents an idealised vision of English fashion. We see a woman in a flowing gown and bonnet, her hand tenderly held by a gentleman in a blue coat, yellow breeches, and riding boots. These costumes, though meticulously rendered, also project a certain French sensibility, perhaps hinting at a sense of cultural superiority. The card is emblazoned with text in French, which translates as: 'It is good taste’. Cards such as these circulated within a culture of leisure and education. As a historian, I'm drawn to the visual codes, cultural references, and historical associations that make up this image. To understand it better, we could explore fashion plates and conduct archival research into French perceptions of English society, including the complex social, economic, and political relations between England and France. Through this research, we begin to appreciate how even a seemingly simple playing card can be deeply embedded in its social and institutional context.