Woman with circular ruff, bonnet and hair-pin, in profile to right 1645

Wenceslaus Hollar created this etching of a woman in 1645. It’s an interesting portrait because it is so concerned with the details of costume, with the circular ruff, bonnet, and hairpin all receiving meticulous attention. In the 17th century, fashion was far from frivolous. Garments were carefully regulated by sumptuary laws, which prescribed what different social classes were allowed to wear. For instance, the size of a ruff indicated status and wealth. It took a lot of money to maintain the crisp, starched, white appearance that was fashionable, and the wider the ruff, the harder it was to move freely. Note also the bonnet, and the single hairpin. These small details can tell us much about the sitter’s social position and marital status. To fully understand this image, we might consult historical documents such as fashion plates, portraits of other women of the period, and, if possible, inventories of estates which list garments owned. The meaning of a work of art is always dependent on social and institutional contexts.