Klederdracht van Noord-Holland before 1857

Editor: This engraving, entitled *Klederdracht van Noord-Holland*, translates to "Traditional Costumes of North Holland," and it’s attributed to Ruurt de Vries sometime before 1857. I’m really drawn to the distinct scenes it depicts. What do you see in this piece, and what stories do you think it might be trying to tell? Curator: Well, right away, the division of the image into distinct registers is telling. We see the symbols of transport – the horse-drawn cart, the boat – but it’s more than that. Consider the clothing: these aren’t just depictions of North Holland; they're presentations. Editor: Presentations of what, exactly? Curator: Think about it – the image highlights the unique costumes, doesn't it? Costume acts as a signifier of place and belonging. Notice the care taken in rendering the details, the lace, the folds of fabric, almost fetishizing them. Editor: So it's like a cultural preservation project? Showing pride and identifying markers? Curator: Perhaps, but also consider the historical context. The 19th century saw a rise in national romanticism. Images like these solidified and perhaps even codified ideas about regional identity. They created visual shorthand for cultural memory. What does the image *tell* us about the lives of these people beyond their costumes? Almost nothing! That is intentional. Editor: It’s almost like a fashion plate, but for regional identity. So, seeing it today, is it more a window into the past, or a constructed representation? Curator: I’d say it’s both. A window that has been carefully framed and filtered. The costumes are authentic, yet the scene has been meticulously arranged to represent them as symbols. Editor: I never considered the idea of “constructed” identity in art so literally, that there are constructed scenes to represent cultural symbolism and that this creates both realness and an ideal. I will not look at images of this time the same way ever again. Curator: Indeed, visual shorthand speaks volumes when you can learn its secret language.