Personificatie van reinheid 1710s

Arnold Houbraken created this print titled 'Personification of purity' using etching. Houbraken lived during the Dutch Golden Age, a period marked by the rise of mercantile capitalism and its attendant strict social codes. This work, like many allegorical prints from this time, reflects the era's obsession with virtue and moral rectitude. The figure of purity is presented as a veiled woman holding lilies, symbols of innocence and chastity. She leans against a fluted column, a classical symbol of strength and stability, but there is also something vulnerable and perhaps even sad in her posture. We might consider how the concept of ‘purity’ itself is often used to control and restrict women's bodies and sexuality. The rigid expectations of women during the Dutch Golden Age emphasized domesticity, piety, and above all, chastity, reflecting a patriarchal society. In contemplating this image, one can't help but feel the weight of societal expectations, and how such expectations continue to shape our understanding of gender roles even today.