Vrouw, gekleed volgens de mode omstreeks 1620, met veren stokwaaier c. 1620

Editor: We're looking at "Vrouw, gekleed volgens de mode omstreeks 1620, met veren stokwaaier," or, "Woman Dressed in the Fashion of around 1620, with a Feather Stick Fan," created around 1620 by Salomon Savery. It's an ink drawing on paper housed at the Rijksmuseum. I'm immediately struck by how... stiff she appears, almost like a paper doll. What's your take? Curator: Stiff, yes, perhaps because we’re encountering her through the lens of precise, deliberate lines, like tiny scratches holding her form. Imagine Savery, pen in hand, meticulously mapping out the topography of early 17th-century fashion. I see the confidence – almost audaciousness – of Baroque fashion, distilled into these precise strokes. Her attire speaks volumes – the exaggerated sleeves, the tall, broad collar. What story do you think those details tell? Editor: They hint at wealth and status, definitely. It's almost comical how wide her collar is! It reminds me of those Elizabethan ruffs, just…flattened. Curator: Precisely! It's visual bravado. Think of these drawings as records, too. People were incredibly invested in what they wore - fashion became increasingly a tool of social performance, even in portraiture. What do you suppose is suggested by that feathered fan? Is she trying to conceal herself or draw more attention? Editor: I think it's both, maybe. Like, "Look at me, but don't look *too* closely." It's playful but controlled. I hadn’t considered the performance aspect so deeply. Curator: It’s the enduring magic trick of portraiture. Every mark, every stroke, is a gesture of visibility and a carefully constructed veil. Ultimately, a dance between artist, subject, and the discerning eye of the viewer. Editor: So well put. Thanks, this gave me a new view of the work and fashion history, not to mention drawing techniques.