Portret van een vrouw 1653 - 1706

Godfried Schalcken made this red chalk drawing, Portrait of a Woman, sometime between 1653 and 1706 in the Netherlands. During this period, Dutch society was structured around a complex system of social hierarchies, including merchants, landowners, and professionals, each with their own distinct roles and expectations. Schalcken was known for his genre paintings and portraits, often depicting scenes of daily life and fashionable figures from the upper classes. His career was shaped by his patronage network and the art market. This portrait reflects the social conventions of the time, which valued decorum, restraint, and refinement. The sitter's elegant attire and composed demeanor signal her belonging to a privileged social stratum. To better understand the social context of the artwork, one could research the artist's biography, delve into the art criticism of the period, and study the history of the Rijksmuseum as an institution.