Staande vrouw in klederdracht 1874

George Clausen made this pencil drawing of a standing woman in traditional dress, presumably sometime between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The sketch is understated, but it hints at the ways that identity is mediated through clothing. During this period, across Europe, there was increasing interest in the preservation, even the invention, of folk traditions, often tied to national or regional identity. This work is particularly interesting in light of Clausen's affiliation with the New English Art Club, an institution which stood in opposition to the Royal Academy and favored depictions of rural labor and ordinary people. Was Clausen interested in elevating the status of rural women? Was he invested in the preservation of folk traditions? These questions can only be answered through careful archival research, by looking at exhibition reviews, the artist's letters, and the records of arts organizations with which he was affiliated.