Portret van Lambert ten Kate 1701 - 1759

Cornelis Pronk rendered this portrait of Lambert ten Kate in pencil sometime in the 18th century. During this time, the Dutch Republic was a leading force in global commerce and cultural innovation. Pronk's work captures ten Kate, a significant figure in the study of language and linguistics. Ten Kate was interested in the search for a universal grammar and sought to establish Dutch as a primary language. His theories were rooted in the cultural and political climate of the time. The work gives us a glimpse into the intellectual world of the Dutch Enlightenment, where language, identity, and nationhood were intertwined. The very act of portraying ten Kate speaks to the importance of recognizing and celebrating intellectual contributions to society. It raises the question: Whose stories do we choose to tell, and what values do those choices reflect about us?