Virgo Tiguriensis / Ein Züricher Iungfraw 1649

This etching of a young woman from Zurich was created by Wenceslaus Hollar in 1649. The image captures her distinctive dress, with its high collar, decorative belt and elaborate hat. Hollar made this print in the Netherlands, part of a series of costume studies representing women from across Europe. These images catered to the interests of a growing urban merchant class, for whom printed images were increasingly available and affordable. But far from being neutral documents, such images often reinforced stereotypes and prejudices. What does it mean, for example, to represent this woman as a ‘virgin’? How does her clothing speak to the changing social and economic conditions in Zurich at this time? To understand these issues, we might turn to historical sources, such as clothing inventories, personal letters, and travelogues. Through such research, we can better understand the complex relationship between art, identity, and social change.