A Muff in Five Views

Wenceslaus Hollar was almost obsessive in his handling of the etching needle, here creating an astonishing illusion of fur. His series of muffs helped establish the genre of still life, but the prints go beyond mere virtuosity. A Group of Muffs suggests the life of its absent owner and her social milieu; in the absence of context, we are invited to attach our own stories to the landscapelike arrangement.