Recueil de la diversité des habits (A Collection of the Various Styles of Clothing) 1562

This print, part of François Desprez's "Collection of the Various Styles of Clothing," presents a stark image of mourning attire from 16th-century Flanders. The figure is almost entirely concealed by draped fabric, its form rendered through precise, linear hatching. Desprez employs a structural device that nearly erases the individual, turning the body into a signifier of grief. The heavy drapery functions as a visual code. It transforms the wearer into an almost abstract representation of sorrow. The detailed lines give texture to the fabric, emphasizing its weight and density. This adds to the sense of solemnity. The print also includes text that reinforces its meaning within a cultural context. This fusion of image and text invites us to consider how identity is negotiated through clothing, and how social roles are visually encoded.