The Regents of the Spinhuis and Nieuwe Werkhuis, Amsterdam 1669
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"The Regents of the Spinhuis and Nieuwe Werkhuis, Amsterdam" is a 1669 group portrait by Dutch painter Karel du Jardin, now housed in the Rijksmuseum. The painting depicts seven regents of two Amsterdam institutions, the Spinhuis (a workhouse for women) and the Nieuwe Werkhuis (a workhouse for men). The regents are depicted in a grand, formal setting, suggesting the importance of their positions. The painting is a fine example of Dutch Golden Age group portraiture, showcasing du Jardin’s skill in depicting both the individual personalities and collective authority of the subjects.
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A servant bringing a letter temporarily interrupts a meeting. The other five men are the regents of the Amsterdam Spinhuis, the female house of correction. The women imprisoned there for theft or begging spent most of their days spinning. Affluent citizens like these gentlemen administered these sorts of institutions. Thus was civic peace maintained.
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