Fantasie hofkostuum 1875 - 1900

Peter Clausing created this photographic print of a ‘Fantasie hofkostuum,’ or fantasy court costume, sometime between 1890 and 1910. Clausing lived in a time of rigid social stratification, and sartorial codes were powerful symbols of status and identity. This fantasy costume seems to imagine an idealized, perhaps even theatrical, vision of courtly life. What does it mean to create a ‘fantasy’ of courtly attire? Is it a longing for a bygone era, or a critical commentary on the strictures of class and status represented by such garments? Consider the absence of a body within the costume. By removing the figure, does Clausing emphasize the constructed nature of identity, suggesting that we are, in a sense, always playing a role? This work invites us to reflect on the ways in which clothing shapes our perceptions of ourselves and others, and how we use fashion to both conform to and subvert societal expectations.