Woman with stiff lace collar and flat-crowned fur hat 1645

Wenceslaus Hollar created this etching of a "Woman with stiff lace collar and flat-crowned fur hat" in 1644, during a period of immense social and political upheaval in Europe. Hollar, who experienced the turmoil of the Thirty Years' War firsthand, often captured the likenesses of individuals navigating a world marked by shifting power dynamics and cultural change. This portrait provides a glimpse into the sartorial choices of the European elite, but also hints at broader issues of identity and status. The elaborate fur hat and lace collar speak to the sitter's privileged position. But, beyond mere representation, what does it mean to wear such garments during a time of widespread conflict and hardship? How do these external markers of identity intersect with the lived realities of women in this period? Hollar invites us to ponder the complexities of identity formation in a world undergoing constant transformation.