Portret van Maria II Stuart 1678

This 1678 engraving by Dutch artist Gerard Valck portrays Maria II Stuart, Princess of Orange. The work is a portrait in the typical style of the Baroque era, and shows Maria in a three-quarter view, looking directly at the viewer with a dignified and composed expression. Valck captures her elaborate hairstyle, pearl necklace, and richly patterned dress in fine detail. This print is an example of the popularity of portraiture during this time, and its presence in the Rijksmuseum attests to its historical and artistic significance.