About this sheet
Colorful Walcheren Girls in Traditional Dress Riding a Painted Market Cart
This charming and vibrant costume plate from the 1932 publication The National Costumes of Holland by Gratiane de Gardilanne and Elizabeth Whitney Moffatt beautifully captures a festive moment in Zeeland’s island of Walcheren, portraying a group of girls and a woman in their distinctive special occasion dress of the period 1860–1890. The joyful scene shows two young girls seated in an ornately painted green cart, elaborately decorated with stylized floral patterns, while a woman and a younger child stand beside it, dressed in the same characteristic regional attire.
The costumes here are richly detailed and historically significant. Each figure wears the iconic trek muts, or top cap, of stiffened white cambric or lace, fastened with gold pins over a silver beugel, which frames the face and supports the ornate lace bonnet. The caps are further adorned with curled gold ornaments known as krullen, worn prominently above the temples. The caps worn by the seated girls are particularly extravagant, with wide circular lace framing the face, suggesting their dress is for a formal or festive occasion.
The garments beneath these remarkable headdresses are no less notable. The bodices are cut very low, as was typical, often of black satin or velvet, with short tight sleeves edged in black velvet. Over these, a beuk—a square bib-like panel—is pinned; the design here is of white cambric or glazed cotton with decorative embroidery or patterning. The aprons are of fine blue-and-white striped or checked cotton, sometimes embroidered. Below, the women and girls wear multiple layers of petticoats—on Sundays, seven were traditionally worn, in a tradition known as keusen, or “choices.” The garments depicted evoke the pride and pageantry of Walcheren’s kermis celebrations, once marked by rustling skirts, fluttering ribbons, and elaborate gold jewelry.
Particularly delightful is the visual narrative: the children, mirroring adult fashions, ride and play while wearing their Sunday best—yet one girl’s expression and posture suggests mild impatience or fatigue, grounding the idealism in realism. The hand-colored lithography and background of stylized Dutch tiles give the composition a theatrical charm.
Excellent vintage condition with vivid colors and crisp detail. Plate margins are clean; minor age-toning consistent with age may be present. Originally published in a limited edition of 500 copies.
Framing Suggestion:
This plate would present beautifully in a dark wood or black frame with a wide off-white mat to enhance the intricate detail of the costumes and preserve its historical elegance. Ideal for collectors of Dutch cultural heritage, costume history, or vintage graphic art.
