Drie vrouwen en een man, gekleed volgens de mode van ca. 1580 in Danzig 1581

Around 1580, Abraham de Bruyn created this print depicting four figures in the attire of Danzig, now Gdańsk, Poland. It offers a glimpse into the rigid social hierarchies of the time. The engraving features a merchant, a noblewoman, a common woman, and a bride, each distinguished by their clothing. Gender and class are emphatically displayed, where clothing becomes a marker of identity and status. The women's elaborate gowns and hairstyles contrast sharply with the more modest attire, revealing the constraints placed upon women. What stories do these garments tell? How might the individuals depicted have experienced life within these prescribed roles? The artist captures not just fashion, but the very essence of a society defined by its visible markers of difference. It prompts us to reflect on the ways clothing shapes our own identities and the stories we tell through what we wear.