P. Schram som Don Bartholo 1870 - 1881

This ink drawing depicts P. Schram as Don Bartholo, his costume dominated by the large, ruffled collar so evocative of the 17th century. More than mere fashion, the ruff, like a halo, framed the face, signaling status and self-importance. Consider how this symbol of the ruff, with its circular form, echoes the cartwheel farthingales of the Elizabethan era, broadening the body, projecting an air of power and inaccessibility. In both cases, the exaggerated form speaks to a desire for display and a distancing from the everyday. But what happens when this symbol of status becomes a caricature? Here, perhaps, it’s a touchstone of identity, a recurring motif reminding us of the cyclical nature of symbols, their evolution, and their endurance in the human psyche.