Head of a Black Woman with a Lace Kerchief Hat 1645

Wenceslaus Hollar created this etching, "Head of a Black Woman with a Lace Kerchief Hat," in 1648. It provides us with a glimpse into the complex social fabric of 17th-century Europe. Hollar, an artist active in England, likely encountered the sitter in London, a city increasingly connected to global trade and, therefore, to the movement of people of African descent. The woman’s elaborate lace kerchief and collar suggest a position within a wealthy household, perhaps as a servant or attendant. The very act of depicting her, and with such detail, challenges the racial hierarchies that were becoming entrenched at the time. The print raises questions about the subject’s identity, her social status, and the artist’s intentions. To understand this image, we need to consult historical records, such as parish registers, bills of sale, and other archival material, in order to try to reconstruct the lives of people of color in Hollar's England and to better understand the social conditions that shaped the production of this art.