Dubbelportret van een man met een steek, mogelijk Joannes van Dreght 1781 - 1784

Aert Schouman made this small etching, "Double Portrait of a Man with a Hat," possibly of Joannes van Dreght, sometime in the 18th century. This double portrait offers us an insight into the world of Dutch portraiture and its function within the social hierarchy of the time. The image is divided into two distinct sections. The upper portrait presents a rather stout figure, while the lower one is more refined, framed within an oval. Both figures wear a "steek," a type of tricorn hat popular in the 18th century. The inclusion of the hat signifies not just fashion, but likely also social standing, perhaps an indicator of military or civic duty. Made during the Dutch Golden Age, the etching reflects the importance of individual portraiture in a society where economic success allowed for a broader segment of the population to commission and consume art. Studying guild records, municipal archives, and perhaps even family genealogies could reveal more about the sitter's status and the cultural values Schouman was engaging with.