Engraving and text from The costume of the Netherlands
After drawings from Miss Semple - Ackermann London - 1817

 

Woman and little girl

This child was following her mother from the fair at Rotterdam to their home, but stopped to show her little purchases to a neighbour.
If the style of her dress would appear strange, when wom by a woman, it must be much more so on a child of eight or ten years of âge. It was, in ail respects, made like that of an elder person.
The hat of this girl was more ornamental than usual.

 

Another devaluing comment which does not honour the quality of this watercolour - We notice that the adult is not wearing a large hat as she often does. And if the little girl is dressed more or less like an adult (as it is done nowadays) she wears a small coat fitted at the waist, which is not the case of her elders. On the other hand, the latter wears a small waistcoat under the large white veil tightened around the neck, and also a small canvas cap held in place by a ribbon around the head. (Editor's notes)
Translated with DeepL