Maskerade van de Leidse studenten, 1865 (plaat 1) 1865

Jan Daniël Cornelis Carel Willem baron de Constant Rebecque created this print, Maskerade van de Leidse studenten, in 1865. The print depicts students from Leiden University in the Netherlands, dressed in historical costumes, participating in a masquerade. These masquerades were elaborate affairs, deeply embedded in the social fabric of 19th-century student life. They offered a stage for students to explore and express their identities, albeit within the confines of their privileged social status. The costumes, often referencing historical figures and events, allowed students to temporarily step outside their everyday roles and engage with narratives of power, heroism, and tradition. However, these events were also exclusive, reflecting the societal hierarchies of the time. While celebrating a romanticized past, these masquerades often reinforced existing social boundaries, excluding those who did not belong to the elite student body. The experience was a complex interplay of fantasy and reality, where students both celebrated and cemented their place within a changing society. The print offers us a glimpse into a world where identity was performed and negotiated, and where the lines between historical representation and social reality blurred.