Portret van Margaret Smith 1716

Pieter van Gunst created this print of Margarett Smith sometime between the late 17th and early 18th century. Looking at this portrait we may consider the social function of images such as this in this period. It is likely that this engraving was commissioned in order to circulate an ideal image of Margarett Smith, one that would reflect the qualities of her family. As the inscription tells us, she was the wife of Thomas Carye, and sister of Philadelphia Lady Wharton. The work presents her as a picture of upper class femininity. Her clothing denotes wealth and status. Her demure gaze and posture are those of a respectable woman, and behind her we see a curtain, which gives us a sense of the domestic sphere. These images, like those of today, do not give us a ‘true’ reflection of a person; rather, they portray the image they wish to project. Social and institutional history help us to understand the complex circumstances of this image.