Jonge Italiaanse vrouw in 'sottana' 1598

This engraving by Christoph Krieger depicts a young Italian woman in ‘sottana’. The image invites us into the world of 16th-century Italian fashion, but it also hints at the complex social codes that governed women’s lives. The ‘sottana’, or skirt, and the accompanying garments, were not merely items of clothing but signifiers of identity. They communicated a woman's social status, marital eligibility, and adherence to cultural norms. Note how the fabric drapes and hides the body, and contrasts with the bare busts in the decorative border. The gaze is averted, and the hands clasped – these choices speak to the expectations of modesty placed on women in this era. How might it feel to have one’s identity so tightly bound to the clothes one wears? The ‘sottana’ becomes a symbol of both identity and constraint, sparking reflection on the expectations placed on women.