Portret van Johann Rudolph Ott 1782

This is a portrait of Johann Rudolph Ott, made by Johann Rudolph Holzhalb. The stark white ruff encircling Ott’s neck commands attention. This sartorial choice, popular among the burghers of the time, is a fascinating motif that echoes across centuries. Consider the ruff’s ancestor, the simple collar, a utilitarian garment. Over time, it inflated, becoming a symbol of status and, dare I say, repression. It reappears in various guises - the elaborate lace collars of the Renaissance, or even the restrictive neckwear of later eras. Each iteration reflects the shifting societal constraints and power dynamics of its time. The ruff, in its exaggerated form, speaks volumes about the psychological tensions between individuality and conformity. It's as if the collective subconscious yearns for expression, only to be confined by societal expectations, a cycle ever repeating in the theater of history.