Het nut eener crinoline c. 1843 - 1920

Hermann van der Moolen created this print, "The Use of a Crinoline," sometime in the mid-19th century. It presents, in comic strip form, the various ways in which the large, cage-like skirts then in fashion could be used for purposes other than modesty. This Dutch print participates in a long tradition of satirical depictions of fashion. We see a woman using her crinoline to hide from the rain, to catch birds, and even as a weapon to fend off unwanted advances. The crinoline, a symbol of bourgeois femininity, is here repurposed as a tool of self-reliance and even subversion. Considered in light of social and cultural history, the print reflects anxieties about women's roles in a rapidly changing society. Was the crinoline a symbol of female oppression, or could it be turned into an instrument of female agency? By exploring such questions through prints like this, we gain a deeper understanding of the complex relationship between art and social change. To investigate further, one might research fashion trends, gender roles, and popular imagery in 19th-century Netherlands.