Costume Plate: Bearded Man from Spain 1552 - 1563

Enea Vico created this etching of a bearded Spanish man, part of a series on costume, in the mid-16th century. During Vico's lifetime, Spain's global reach was expanding through colonization, an empire built on the subjugation of indigenous populations. The print presents a figure of authority, identified as "Hispanus." He has a full beard and wears an elaborate hat, cloak, and sword. Costume books were popular at this time and served as visual compendiums of cultural identity. But they often perpetuated stereotypes. Vico's image, while seemingly straightforward, invites us to consider the gaze through which cultural identities are constructed and consumed. How might this image have shaped perceptions of Spanish identity at the time? As you reflect on this image, consider its role in the larger narrative of cultural exchange and power during the Renaissance. Think about the human cost of the costumes on display.