Goudsmidsboeket in de vorm van een aigrette 1626

Balthazar Moncornet created this print, "Goudsmidsboeket in de vorm van een aigrette," likely in France during the mid-17th century. The bouquet in the shape of a jeweled feather ornament speaks to the burgeoning fashion and jewelry trades. Prints like this served as pattern books for artisans and consumers alike. Notice the detailed rendering of the floral arrangement contrasting with the idyllic landscape below. The landscape places the precious bouquet within a context of cultivated nature and classical architecture – a nod to the era’s fascination with both naturalism and the antique world. The print exemplifies the power of images to circulate ideas about taste and status. A social historian might investigate period inventories and guild records to understand the consumption and production of luxury goods at the time. This artwork, therefore, isn't just a pretty picture, it's a document that reflects the economic and social aspirations of its time.