Damoiselle Angloise allant par la Ville 1662

This engraving, "Damoiselle Angloise allant par la Ville," of unknown date, was created by an anonymous artist. Its title translates to 'English woman walking through the city'. Such images served a crucial role in disseminating ideas about class and nationality in early modern Europe. The woman's elaborate dress, textural lace, and decorative accessories speak to her high social standing, while the title suggests a fascination with English style. Consider the institutional histories that may have shaped this image: What publishing house commissioned it? What was the print market like? By researching such questions, we can better understand how images like these participated in the construction of social identities and power dynamics. Art doesn't exist in a vacuum.