Vier vrouwen gekleed volgens de Romeinse mode, ca. 1580 1872 - 1875

This print, made around 1580 by an anonymous artist, depicts four women dressed in the Roman fashion of the time. It's made using engraving, a printmaking process where lines are incised into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. What's fascinating here is the way the print captures the textures and patterns of the fabrics. Notice the intricate details of the lace collars and cuffs, and the heavy brocades of the gowns. Each one has been painstakingly brought into being through the labour of the engraver's burin. Consider, too, the social context of these garments. These were luxury items, produced by skilled artisans and worn by the wealthy elite. The print itself functions as a kind of aspirational object, circulating images of status and sophistication. It shows us how fashion, then as now, was deeply intertwined with issues of labour, class, and consumption. The artist's focus on material culture elevates craft to a subject worthy of artistic attention.