Taken from the 1771 edition of A new universal collection of authentic and entertaining voyages and travels, from the earliest accounts to the present time... by Edward Cavendish Drake, this plate also appears in earlier versions, dating back to 1765. It represents the pirate Woodes Rogers and his crew of scalawags pillaging helpless ladies in Ecuador. Though the image is meant to represent an event from decades before, the fashion of Roger's suit and the ladies clothes are more in line with the time it was printed.
The first batch of nefarious pirates strides through the door behind Rogers, enjoying the day and admiring their plunder. All wear cocked hats, and all of them wear those hats at different angles. Their short jackets are single breasted but with an odd set of double buttons on one side. Perhaps this was the artist's nod to an older style of mariner's clothing? They all wear the same white trousers and white neckcloths.
These scoundrels are enjoying themselves. They rob the Spanish colonists by searching their dresses, something the women are clearly distressed by. Dressed the same as their mates, the major difference is that these tars do not show any buttons on their coats. It is also worth noting the hat on the ground bound in tape beside the walking stick.
No comments:
Post a Comment