Fragmenten van prenten met wereldlijke en geestelijke klederdrachten 1581 - 1596

These fragments of prints depicting secular and religious clothing were created by Abraham de Bruyn sometime before 1587. They are made using an intaglio printmaking technique, likely engraving or etching, processes that rely on the precise and controlled removal of material from a metal plate. Consider the labor involved in producing these small images. Each line was incised by hand, demanding a high degree of skill and time. The resulting prints, though small in scale, would have been relatively precious objects, designed for close inspection and careful study. We can see from the clothing depicted that these images were intended to represent a wide spectrum of social roles and religious affiliations. They are a material record of a society deeply concerned with appearances and social roles, and how these were communicated through dress. Looking closely at the scraps, we can see the value that was once placed on these now-fragmentary images, reminding us that even the smallest objects can carry significant cultural and historical weight.