Schotse vrouw gekleed in dierenhuiden 1562

This engraving of a Scottish woman dressed in animal skins was created by François Desprez some time in the 16th century. It offers a window into early modern European attitudes toward peripheral cultures. The image presents Scotland as a wild and savage land, associating its people with the primitive and the animalistic. This kind of representation was common at a time when centralized states were consolidating their power and defining themselves against those on the margins. The image suggests that Scottish culture is not just different but somehow less civilized. The text in the image reads: 'If you set your eye on this figure, / That you may certainly know its purpose, / It is the savage in the land of Scotland, / In skins of bear encountering the coldness.' The imagery and language construct Scotland as a place of harshness and barbarity. Understanding this print requires looking at the history of European colonialism, the politics of representation, and the construction of national identities. By examining historical documents, travel narratives, and other visual materials, we can unpack the complex layers of meaning embedded in this seemingly simple image.