Petronella de Lange (1779-1835), Wife of Jonkheer Theodorus Frederik van Capellen 1835

Jacob Joseph Eeckhout painted this portrait of Petronella de Lange, wife of a nobleman, on panel in the Netherlands sometime in the first half of the 19th century. The conventions of portraiture at this time reveal much about the sitter’s social standing. Petronella is adorned in a black dress of fine fabric and wears gold jewelry. The dark colors denote her wealth, for only those who could afford to keep clothes clean could wear them. Moreover, portraits were luxury items in themselves, and would only be commissioned by those with sufficient capital. In the nineteenth century, the Rijksmuseum was founded to chart the course of Dutch history through the display of objects such as this. The social life of this painting persists today, as the image is continually reproduced, interpreted, and repurposed. As historians, we might consult letters, inventories, and museum records to better understand the world of this painting and its significance for us today.