Verandering van mode 1894 - 1959

Editor: This etching, titled "Verandering van mode," or "Changes in Fashion," is by Monogrammist G.J. and was created between 1894 and 1959. It has a storybook quality, doesn't it? All these little scenes playing out. What do you see when you look at this piece? Curator: I see a fascinating commentary on the ephemeral nature of status and the ridiculous extremes people will go to in its pursuit. Consider the towering wigs. What do they signify beyond mere fashion? They become symbols of aspiration, social climbing… and ultimately, of folly. Editor: Folly? Curator: Look closely. There's a progression from the creation of the elaborate hairstyles to their literal downfall—fire, collapsing structures. These images act as a kind of cultural memory, reminding us that such displays are fleeting, destined to be replaced by something else, something newer. And even mocked, don't you think? Editor: Yes, definitely mocked! It feels like a warning against being too caught up in appearances. Are those images also metaphors for the changing political landscapes of the time? Curator: Precisely! Fashion, then as now, reflected and refracted broader social and political shifts. The decline of those wigs mirrors, perhaps, the decline of the aristocracy itself. Ask yourself, what other symbols do you notice and what meanings do they invoke in the different scenes? Editor: It's a lot to take in, but I see how the images speak to each other. It makes me think about how what we wear says so much, even today. Curator: Indeed. And how the pursuit of novelty, regardless of its practicalities, continues to shape our world. Food for thought!