UTLMO Conference: The Fabric of the Flemish - Fashion and painting in the 17th century

Description

The fascinating details of Dutch painting have always captivated the eye, showing us velvets, satins, embroideries, linen sheets and fine lace with exceptional precision. In Pourbus, Soutman and so many other masters, the details are as eloquent as photographs.

Clothing asserts social status, and the famous black is the richest and most sumptuous color of the 17th century. Protestants used it to demonstrate their wealth... in contrast to later notions of modesty. The projected images - period garments or replicas and paintings in dialogue with them - allow us to discover the effects of pleats, light and reflections, but not only: social, commercial, economic and even philosophical issues specific to the Netherlands at the time are revealed through fashion, which is not only a history of forms but also an expression of the problems of Dutch society.