Manchet van ambtskostuum van burgemeester Hoytema c. 1800 - 1923

These are cuffs from the official costume of Mayor Hoytema, made by an anonymous artist. The eye is drawn to their simple rectangular form and pristine white hue, evoking a sense of purity and formality. These cuffs, though seemingly plain, speak volumes about power and representation. Their very design, symmetrical and orderly, subtly communicates authority. The stark whiteness suggests cleanliness and incorruptibility, virtues expected of civic leaders. The cuffs' texture and material would denote status, setting the mayor apart. Consider how these elements work as a semiotic system. The cuffs signify not just fashion, but the identity and role of the wearer within a larger social structure. They transform the wearer, signaling that the individual embodies ideals of governance, law, and order. As such, these unassuming cuffs are a powerful statement of cultural values.