Franse hofdame aan een kade c. 1630

Isaac Briot created this engraving of a French court lady at a quay in the 17th century. The print captures a moment in the life of an elite woman during a time of rigid social hierarchies and burgeoning ideas about identity. The lady stands adorned in the height of courtly fashion with distinctive puffed sleeves and fur muff. Yet the poem inscribed beneath her image hints at the complex role of women in the French court: ‘As much as any young noble can desire. / One might judge that I am beautiful, / Which maintains me and caresses me, / And that I know how to make love / Like a lady of the Court; As well as any Damsel.’ The lady presents both an image of refinement and a frank recognition of her role in the rituals of courtly love. Briot's print offers a glimpse into the lives of women whose identities were defined by their position within the court. It exposes the tension between their expected roles and the subtle forms of agency they developed. The image leaves us to ponder the emotional complexities beneath the surface of courtly life.