Portretten van Elisabeth Stuart en Louisa Juliana, beiden als herderin 1640

These portraits of Elisabeth Stuart and Louisa Juliana, depicted as shepherdesses, were created by Crispijn van de Passe the Younger. During the 17th century, the role of women in royal portraiture was often symbolic, designed to convey messages about power, virtue, and dynastic continuity. Here, the women are presented in the guise of shepherdesses, a popular trope for women in art at the time. This imagery associated them with pastoral ideals of peace, simplicity, and virtue, while subtly reinforcing their roles in maintaining social harmony. Their elaborate attire and refined features, however, betray their noble status. The choice to depict Elisabeth and Louisa as shepherdesses can be viewed through an intersectional lens, where gender, class, and social expectations converge. These portraits reflect the constraints and expectations placed upon women of their rank. They had to balance displays of power with adherence to feminine virtues. Ultimately, this artwork provides insights into the complex interplay of gender, power, and representation within the cultural and political context of the 17th century.