Recueil de la diversité des habits (A Collection of the Various Styles of Clothing) 1562

François Desprez created this woodcut from around 1562-1567 as part of a series documenting various styles of clothing. Here we see ‘La Moresque,’ or ‘The Moorish Woman,’ reflecting Europe’s fascination with North African cultures during the Renaissance. But this image is more than just a fashion plate; it's a window into the complex intersections of race, gender, and cultural appropriation. The woman's dark skin and distinct attire mark her as ‘other,’ while the French text and European artistic style place her within a specific colonial gaze. It evokes questions about power, representation, and the exoticization of non-European cultures. The verse below the image translates to something along the lines of ‘In the Moorish style, the Moorish woman resembles the sun with light clothing'. This image makes me think, how does it feel to be an object of both desire and derision, celebrated for one’s difference, yet simultaneously excluded? This work invites us to reflect on the historical roots of cultural exchange, and to really consider the burden of representation.