Maskerade van de Utrechtse studenten, 1846 (plaat 19) 1847

Carel Christiaan Antony Last created this print, "Masquerade of the Utrecht Students, 1846," around 1846. In it, we see figures donned in elaborate historical costumes. Consider the performance of identity here. These students are not simply wearing clothes; they are embodying historical personas. What does it mean for them, young men in 1846, to look back and restage the past? The print offers a window into the culture of the Dutch student corps of the time, a world largely limited to upper-class men. The choice to dress in historical attire can be seen as an appeal to tradition, signaling social status and a connection to a perceived heritage. It evokes questions about who is included and excluded from this constructed history. Who gets to perform these roles, and whose stories are left untold?