Ornatus Muliebris Anglicanus (The Clothing of English Women) 1640

Wenceslaus Hollar made this engraving, Ornatus Muliebris Anglicanus, meaning “The Clothing of English Women,” using metal plates and acid. It’s an indirect process, requiring immense skill and patience to transfer an image onto the plate. Notice how the qualities of the etched lines define the woman's garments. They capture the heavy, textured drape of her fur-lined gown, and the delicate sheen of her gloves. The print also has social significance. It reflects the rise of fashion as a marker of status and identity in 17th-century England. The attention to detail elevates clothing to a subject worthy of artistic representation. Hollar's expertise in printmaking shows how craft and fine art are closely linked. Through his skilled labor, he not only documented fashion but also offered a glimpse into the era's social and economic fabric, blurring the lines between documentation, artistic expression, and the business of fashion.