Vier opgetooide hoofden van dames 1775 - 1840

Editor: Take a look at "Four Decorated Heads of Ladies" by Ernst Ludwig Riepenhausen, sometime between 1775 and 1840. It’s a print, an engraving – seems like a very precise drawing of different hairstyles, almost like a catalogue. What strikes me is how much effort went into just… hair! What do you make of it? Curator: It's quite captivating, isn't it? To me, it’s like peeking into a bygone era where elaborate hairstyles weren't just fashion, but a form of expression, of social commentary even! Look at the detail in each curl, each feather, each perfectly placed ribbon. What do you think the artist is trying to tell us? Is it merely documentation, or something more? Editor: Hmmm, social commentary through hair… interesting! Perhaps it’s showing the different tiers of society and what they could "afford" to put on their heads? Or maybe it’s an aspirational thing, like these are the styles to emulate? Curator: Precisely! It makes me wonder about the stories behind each hairstyle. Who were these women? What were their lives like? Did they spend hours in front of a mirror, or were these hairstyles a symbol of their status, meticulously crafted by servants? Editor: I didn't think of that -- that's almost like another unseen "character" in the print – the hair stylists themselves! Curator: Exactly! Think of the labor, the skill, the creativity involved. The artist gives them presence, and invites us to go even deeper than the surface to reveal complex stories of skill and labor, and commentary about class and social identity. So much to observe in an image! Editor: That’s a cool perspective. I’m definitely going to spend a bit more time imagining all those backstories, I think. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure!