Dubbelportret van Gijsbert Scharlaken Pieterszoon en Adriana van Slingelandt Possibly 1751 - 1753

Aert Schouman rendered this double portrait of Gijsbert Scharlaken Pieterszoon and Adriana van Slingelandt in 1773 with pen in brown and gray, brush in gray, over graphite, on paper. The tonal range of grays creates a somber mood. The sitters are positioned behind a table laden with fiscal objects, coins, books and scales, all executed with striking precision. The composition is rigidly symmetrical; the division of pictorial space mirroring the dual nature of the portrait itself. Yet, this is not merely a depiction of material wealth. The act of weighing and measuring suggests a deeper concern with value and judgment. We must consider the semiotic weight of these objects. The scales, for instance, are not just tools but symbols of justice and equilibrium. The books could signify knowledge or the ledgers of commerce and accountability. Schouman’s work invites a complex semiotic reading, challenging us to decode the values and virtues this Dutch couple wished to project. The stark tonality of the ink and wash emphasizes the gravity of their social roles within the Dutch Republic.