Dubbele plaat met vijf mannen en vijf vrouwen gekleed volgens de Engelse mode, ca. 1580 1872 - 1875

This double plate, made around 1580 by an anonymous artist, shows five men and five women dressed in the English fashion of the time. It's made from ink and watercolor on paper, common materials for prints intended to circulate widely. The process of creating such prints involved engraving, a meticulous and labour-intensive technique. The designs are first etched onto a metal plate, then printed to create multiple copies. Watercolor was then applied to bring them to life. What's striking here is the attention to detail in rendering the elaborate clothing: the heavy brocades, the stiff ruffs, and the multiple layers that defined elite status. This wasn't just about aesthetics; clothing in the 16th century was a powerful marker of identity and wealth. The production of these textiles involved a vast network of labor, from farmers growing flax and wool to skilled weavers and tailors. The print itself serves as a document of this material culture. It invites us to consider the social and economic context in which these garments were produced and consumed.