Portret van de schrijver Franciscus Heerman 1699

Daniël met de Penningen engraved this portrait of Franciscus Heerman. The ruff collar, with its delicate lace, immediately catches the eye, a prominent symbol of status and formality in the 17th century. This elaborate neckwear, so ubiquitous in its time, echoes through art history. Think of the stiff, imposing collars in Spanish Golden Age portraits, each fold a statement of power and piety. Yet, even earlier, we can trace the ruff's ancestors to the modest, gathered necklines of medieval garments. In those earlier iterations, these garments reflected more modest sensibilities, as social classes adopted their own versions, echoing through time but with a more symbolic assertion of identity. These garments, and the individuals who wore them, were subject to the ebb and flow of social memory, as it can resurface unexpectedly, charged with new meanings, forever altering how we see ourselves.