Portrait of Petronella Dunois 1677 - 1685

Nicolaes Maes painted this portrait of Petronella Dunois, capturing her in a moment of poised elegance, amidst symbols of beauty and status. Consider the pearls adorning her neck. Beyond mere decoration, pearls have echoed through centuries, symbols of purity, wealth, and even tears. In Botticelli’s "Birth of Venus", pearls further enhance the goddess’s ethereal beauty, associating her with divine perfection. But trace the pearl further back, and we find it connected to Aphrodite, born from the sea—a symbol of transformative power. Here, the inclusion of the flowers isn't merely decorative; it’s a conscious invocation of Flora, the Roman goddess of springtime and fertility. This deliberate association weaves Petronella into a rich tapestry of mythological and historical narratives, subtly suggesting her own vitality and connections to nature’s enduring cycles. Thus, the portrait becomes more than a likeness. It is an invitation to explore the underlying currents of meaning that connect us to the past, revealing how symbols persist, adapt, and continue to resonate through time.