Collection of 146 plates of Costume 1683 - 1695

Editor: We're looking at a print from a collection by Jean Berain, dating from the late 17th century called, "Collection of 146 plates of Costume." It depicts a man in elaborate period attire, what strikes me most is the sheer excess of ornamentation. What do you make of it? Curator: Excess is *precisely* the right word. Imagine the world in which such display isn’t just common, but *expected*. Berain, you see, wasn't just sketching outfits. He was distilling the aspirations, anxieties, and outright absurdities of the Baroque court. I almost want to reach into the print and feel the texture of that colossal hat. Doesn't it look ridiculously fragile, like it would tip over if a hummingbird landed on it? Editor: Absolutely! And I wonder what sort of power these visual elements would communicate back then? Curator: Power, yes, and privilege of course. But think about the ephemerality of fashion itself. All that meticulous detail, destined to be superseded by the next trend, a fleeting assertion of identity and status in a world that’s always, *always*, changing. What else catches your eye? Editor: I'm intrigued by the theatricality; it feels performative, like he's on a stage. Curator: Spot on! These aren't clothes; they're costumes, emblems. Each frill and flourish tells a story, whispers a secret. A King's Officer perhaps needs all that weight. He may be eaten alive without all those visual declarations! We project so much onto what we wear, don’t we? Even today. Editor: It makes you consider the artistry in something as seemingly simple as getting dressed, and how it reflects bigger things, even now. Curator: Exactly! Now, I am considering going out to buy a plume. Just imagine.