Jeanne de Coesme, Princesse de Conti c. 17th century

Curator: This is a striking engraving of Jeanne de Coesme, Princesse de Conti, created by Thomas de Leu, who was active in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. What captures you first? Editor: The ruff, definitely. It’s like she’s peering out from behind a fortress of pleated linen! It gives her such an air of...strained formality. Curator: Exactly. The ruff, and the intricate details of her gown, signal her noble status, her distance from the everyday. It's a very deliberate construction of identity. Editor: It's fascinating how such details dictated, and still dictate, how we perceive power. Curator: Indeed. It speaks volumes about the social architecture of the time. Editor: I see that, and I feel a tension in her eyes, a hint of something perhaps missed or yearned for beyond the ruff, beyond the social expectations. Curator: An interesting interpretation, I'll keep that in mind as I continue my research. Editor: Well, maybe there's more to this princess than meets the ruff-protected eye.