Printed on 310g Hahnemuhler German Etching Paper.
Paper Size: 307mm x 430mm
Print Size: 297mm x 420mm
Each print comes signed and dated by the artist.
Limited Edition of 150
This is such an interesting outfit from Balmain that feels full of contradictions. It has an opulence that is similar to a lot of renaissance clothing in terms of the colour. beadwork, cut of the cape etc but it is juxtaposed with the somewhat (to me) shocking baring of the breasts under the voile top. So much of the body is covered up and yet some much is not. I'm not sure how I feel about this- is it challenging perceptions of female identity or enforcing them? It doesn't seem too far away from how the 16th century ruff and corset were used to define idealised notions of femininity. I've combined it with this stunning portrait of Lady Jane Dorner painted in 1558 by Antonis Mor. Lady Jane was a lady in waiting for Queen Mary I of England and as such would have been under very strict rules as to what she could or couldn't wear. Royal ladies in waiting were meant to reflect the status of their queen but not outshine them. So this outfit would of been an absolute no! I rather like the contradiction of the two images that also create a new hybrid sense of fashion across the centuries.
'Balmain 1558' is part of an ongoing series of works that juxtapose portraits of women from art with images of modern day couture as a way of questioning the external forces that exist within both art and fashion which shape and enforce our understanding of the ideals around women’s status in society.