Portrait of a Man, presumably Theodorus Rijswijk, Alderman in Amsterdam c. 1700 - 1722

Editor: This is "Portrait of a Man, presumably Theodorus Rijswijk, Alderman in Amsterdam" painted around 1700 to 1722 by Pieter van der Werff, using oil paint. It's immediately striking how the figure's enormous wig seems to proclaim his status. What can you tell me about the context of this portrait? Curator: This portrait offers a fascinating glimpse into the performance of power and identity in the Dutch Golden Age. While ostensibly a portrait of an individual, it participates in a visual language that reinforces societal hierarchies and gendered expectations. Editor: Gendered expectations? How so? Curator: Consider the Alderman's clothing, posture and elaborate wig; all expensive commodities which visually project masculine authority and privilege. Simultaneously, such markers can be examined through a lens of social construction, illustrating how identities were crafted and policed during this period. How might we critically examine the construction of identity through portraiture like this? Editor: So, you're suggesting we should look beyond the man himself, and consider the systems of power that are being represented? Curator: Precisely. How does the very act of commissioning and displaying a portrait like this solidify the Alderman's place within the social order? And for whom was this image intended to communicate these messages? Editor: It makes you think about the messages these images are sending and who gets to send them, even centuries later. Curator: Exactly. And understanding the "who" helps us deconstruct the “why” and even question the continuing echoes of those power structures in contemporary society. A single portrait holds multitudes of conversations across time.