Dni Maioris sive Praetoris Londinensis Vxoris Hab: 1649

This etching of the Mayor of London’s wife was made in 1649 by Wenceslaus Hollar using the intaglio process. The image is created by incising lines into a metal plate, applying ink, and then using a press to transfer the image to paper. Look closely and you'll notice how Hollar uses a complex vocabulary of hatching and cross-hatching to describe the qualities of different materials. See how he renders the exquisite lace collar, the sheen of the silk dress, and the plush texture of the fur trim? Consider the labor involved in creating the garments depicted. The textiles and their making would have been intensely regulated. Clothing like this, was not just a matter of personal style. It indicated one’s social position, in a rigid hierarchy. By drawing our attention to the materiality of attire, Hollar underscores the relationship between appearance, wealth, and the social order. It’s a great reminder that images of fashion, like this one, are also documents of social and economic history.