Portret van Lucretia Wilhelmina van Merken 1799

This is Reinier Vinkeles's portrait of Lucretia Wilhelmina van Merken, made using etching and burin. Lucretia lived in the 18th century, when the Enlightenment was challenging traditional roles. Here she is represented as a portrait within a portrait, set above books and what might be a writing quill. Lucretia was a playwright and poet during a time when women's intellectual contributions were often dismissed. Dutch society was undergoing significant change with debates about individual rights and freedoms. Lucretia, as a woman of letters, would have been at the heart of these discussions. Portraits were a way to assert status, but here, the accoutrements of writing perhaps suggests Lucretia's intellectual life, rather than her material wealth. Vinkeles, by depicting her with these symbols, acknowledges her professional achievements. The image creates a space where intellect and artistry are celebrated, hinting at a more profound, personal dimension of her identity.