Gentleman Seen from Behind 1638

Pieter Jansz. Quast created this drawing of a gentleman, seen from behind, in the Dutch Republic, probably in the 1630s. The figure’s elaborate costume, complete with feathered hat and decorative flourishes, speaks to a culture deeply invested in outward appearances. Quast was working at a time when the Dutch Republic was asserting itself as a major economic and cultural power. As a historian, I’m interested in how the trappings of status and wealth, so evident in the gentleman’s attire, served to reinforce social hierarchies. Was this dandy a member of the merchant class, eager to display his newfound affluence? Or perhaps he was an aspiring member of the landed gentry, keen to project an image of refined taste? Visual culture became a tool in the construction of identity. Researching period costume and social etiquette helps us to understand the messages that Quast's gentleman sought to convey, and how these might have been received by his contemporaries.