Hoofd van boerin met kapje 1770 - 1825

Simon Andreas Krausz created this quick sketch, "Head of a Peasant Woman with a Bonnet" sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century in the Netherlands. At this time, Dutch society was deeply stratified, with a clear distinction between urban elites and the rural working class. Costume, like the bonnet seen here, signaled one's place in the social hierarchy. But it was also a marker of regional identity, with different regions having their own distinct styles. Krausz, who was associated with the Felix Meritis Society, an organization dedicated to Enlightenment ideals, was interested in the representation of different social classes. Historians interested in this drawing might consider the social function of costume, the relationship between urban and rural communities, and the representation of the working class. By examining such questions, we can understand the cultural values and social dynamics that shaped Dutch society at this time.