Twee meisjes uit Noord-Holland 1807 - 1829

Ludwig Gottlieb Portman created this print, “Two Girls from North Holland,” using etching and watercolors. Set against the backdrop of late 18th-century Netherlands, these women embody a complicated moment of shifting social norms. Their clothing reflects the era's high-waisted neoclassical styles, yet it also subtly hints at regional identity through color and material. These women, strolling, arm in arm, are participating in a growing culture of leisure. Simultaneously, the detailed rendering of their attire invites us to consider the class dynamics at play. Are they members of the merchant class, newly affluent and eager to display their status through fashion? Or are they from the landed gentry, holding onto traditional forms of dress? Portman’s image encapsulates the tension between tradition and modernity, inviting us to reflect on how identity is constructed and performed through the everyday act of appearance.