Engelse vrouw van stand met donkere hoed 1640 - 1707

Wenceslaus Hollar created this print, "Engelse vrouw van stand met donkere hoed," which translates to "English noble woman with a dark hat," sometime in the 17th century. Hollar, a Bohemian printmaker who spent much of his career in England, captured the fashions and faces of his time, providing us with a glimpse into the sartorial culture of the English elite. The woman’s dark hat and elaborate lace collar speak to the markers of class and gender in the 1600s, illustrating how clothing was a signifier of identity and social standing. The print also invites us to consider the gaze. Turned away, she remains elusive, refusing the viewer’s implied desire for visual access. The averted gaze becomes a subtle act of self-possession, a quiet assertion of her own identity within a society that often sought to define women through appearance and status. Hollar's work acts as both a mirror and a record, reflecting the visual textures of a bygone era while subtly questioning the dynamics of looking and being seen.