Mulier Augustana 1643

Wenceslaus Hollar created this etching, “Mulier Augustana,” around 1643, as part of a series depicting the attire of European women. The image presents us with a woman of Augsburg, Germany, her dress reflecting the city’s economic prosperity during the 17th century. Note the fine details of her patterned jacket, her elaborate millstone ruff, and her tall-crowned hat. These details speak to a society deeply invested in outward displays of status, where clothing served as a visual marker of identity and belonging. Hollar, a Bohemian artist who spent much of his career in England, capitalized on a growing interest in fashion and costume books. What makes this image fascinating is that Hollar was producing them for an increasingly literate and cosmopolitan audience eager to consume images of other cultures. By examining fashion plates alongside other historical documents such as trade records, travel journals, and sumptuary laws, we can better understand the complex interplay between art, commerce, and social identity in the early modern world.