Verschillende dameskapsels en hoofddeksels 1779

Curator: Here in gallery 21, we have "Various Ladies' Hairstyles and Head Coverings" an etching and print by Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki from 1779. The print, rendered on paper, is presently held at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: My first thought? Opulence! But almost comically so. I'm struck by the sheer height of some of these hairstyles. They're practically architectural feats. Curator: Indeed. Chodowiecki’s print acts almost like a catalogue of hairstyles emblematic of late 18th-century high society. Consider it a visual document reflecting the Rococo era's elaborate aesthetic. Hair became a canvas for displaying status. Editor: And it really speaks to the constraints placed upon women of the time. So much time and energy devoted to superficial displays. Who has that kind of time? Or better said, which women have that kind of time? The hairstyles themselves become symbols of social expectations. They physically embody restriction. Curator: Quite so. Moreover, there is also a vibrant economy built around such displays; consider the hairdressers, the suppliers of wigs, the vendors selling hair ornaments. This print, originally designed as a simple print medium, indirectly portrays those complex socio-economic elements of its time. Editor: Absolutely. And thinking about those obscured labour relationships – the human cost attached to these seemingly frivolous fashions… it really adds another layer. The focus on appearances veils a more troubling reality. How many people would've suffered and how much would those luxuries cost at the expense of their lives and others? Curator: Chodowiecki captures this social reality using meticulous lines and delicate shading characteristic of his etching technique. His intent was, as far as we know, descriptive. Still, this document invites the very criticism that you're suggesting, regardless. Editor: It's a reminder that what seems ornamental often has a much heavier history attached to it. And how these fashions reinforce particular ideas about class, beauty, and femininity. So much conveyed with these carefully drawn lines and a little black ink on white paper. Curator: Precisely. It makes you consider that an artwork doesn't have to explicitly aim for social commentary in order to provoke it. Editor: Right, sometimes, it just has to capture an image from the right angle. These ladies may well just reflect on it one day themselves and judge each other silently based on the image. A mirror reflecting the superficial life of an age gone by.