Portret van Catherine Henriette de Balzac d'Entragues markiezin van Verneuil 1576 - 1614

This is Thomas de Leu's engraving of Catherine Henriette de Balzac d'Entragues. Her elaborate ruff collar immediately draws the eye. This symbol of status and elegance, though striking in its French Renaissance context, echoes much older forms. Consider the ancient Egyptian use of layered collars, wide beaded necklaces, or even the ruffs worn by dogs in classical Roman frescoes. Though separated by millennia, these share the common thread of using adornment to signify prestige. The ruff, like these earlier forms, elevates its wearer, distancing them from the mundane, and imbuing them with an aura of authority. The image of the elevated neck appears throughout history as a marker of distinction, illustrating how shared cultural memories find expression in ever-changing forms. This portrait reminds us that even the most seemingly unique gestures are part of a much larger, cyclical story.