Portret van koningin Maria Anna van Spanje 1659 - 1700

Pieter van Gunst created this portrait of Queen Maria Anna of Spain using engraving techniques. As a woman of immense power in the late 17th century, Maria Anna’s life was circumscribed by the patriarchal expectations of royal succession and political alliance. This formal portrait is no exception. Her identity is carefully constructed through the symbols of wealth and dynastic power: her dress, jewels, and the Spanish coat-of-arms signal her status, while the Latin text emphasizes her roles as princess and queen. Despite the visual emphasis on Maria Anna’s royal position, the piece also hints at her more intimate identities as a woman and wife. Note the softness in her gaze and the slight turn of her head, creating a sense of approachability which is rare in portraits of this period. Ultimately, this engraving encapsulates the tensions between the public and private lives of women in power and reveals some of the complexities in representing female identity within the confines of courtly expectations.