Recueil de la diversité des habits (A Collection of the Various Styles of Clothing) 1562

This woodcut, made by François Desprez around the late 16th century, presents a figure labeled "L'Egyptienne," the Egyptian woman. She wears distinct garments, including a broad, flat headdress. The woman is carrying a child. The headdress, while presented as distinctly Egyptian, evokes ancient traditions of headwear across cultures, symbolizing status and identity. It may be linked to the elaborate headdresses of ancient Egyptian royalty. The image is more than a mere depiction of foreign attire; it triggers a visual memory. Throughout history, the image of a mother carrying a child is one of the most persistent images, symbolizing care, protection, and continuity. Consider the countless depictions of Madonna and Child throughout Christian art. This image resonates with the archetypal image of the maternal figure, a powerful force engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level. The symbols in this image echo through time. It resurfaces, evolves, and takes on new meanings in different historical contexts.