P.F. Greive c. 1820 - 1898

This is a plaster portrait of P.F. Greive by Frans Stracké. Though undated, it was likely made sometime in the late 19th century in the Netherlands. The Rijksmuseum, where this piece is housed, was founded to showcase Dutch art and history and this portrait encapsulates the values of the Dutch upper class at this time. The stern face, suit and bow tie are all visual markers of status. Here, Stracké has flattened the relief into an oval form, as if Greive’s figure could be taken from life and easily placed into a frame. At this time, the Netherlands was undergoing significant social and political change, so this kind of portrait was a way to show how important the sitter was. As historians, we look to museum archives, exhibition catalogues, and other primary source documents to understand the place of art within a specific cultural and institutional history.