Studie voor de linkerhand van Catharina Nahuys, echtgenote van Mr. Rutger Jan Schimmelpenninck 1774 - 1837

This is Charles Howard Hodges’ study for the left hand of Catharina Nahuys, wife of Rutger Jan Schimmelpenninck, created with black chalk on blue paper. Hodges, an English painter, was a prominent portraitist in the Netherlands during a time of significant political upheaval, when the Dutch Republic was replaced by the Batavian Republic under French influence. The drawing is striking for its intimate focus on a seemingly minor detail. Hands, often adorned with rings, were a standard feature of formal portraiture, signaling status and wealth. Yet, by isolating this hand, Hodges draws our attention to Catharina as an individual. This study seems to capture a moment of quiet repose. The gentle rendering of the hand evokes a sense of delicacy, yet it also suggests the strength and role of women within the domestic sphere. Hodges’ work offers a glimpse into the lives of women during a transformative period in Dutch history, quietly acknowledging the personal within the political.