Portret van Mary Davis 1662 - 1726

This is Gerard Valck's print "Portrait of Mary Davis." Likely made in the late 17th century, the print captures the likeness of a woman named Mary Davis, but it also tells us something about the culture of celebrity and representation in that era. Prints like these were not just about capturing a person's appearance; they were about creating and circulating an image. The portrait would have been made to be reproduced, and reproduced, in turn, across a growing print market, contributing to the subject's fame. Looking at the way Valck renders Davis, we can see how beauty was constructed and consumed. Her features are idealized, her expression demure, and her clothing suggestive of status. Understanding this image fully requires delving into the social and economic structures of the time. Researching archives, newspapers, and other visual and textual sources, we can better understand the meaning of this portrait in its original context.