Sidsel Lunge. Mindeblad 1657

Albert Haelwegh created this print, "Sidsel Lunge. Mindeblad," a commemorative portrait, sometime between the late 16th and early 17th century. Positioned within an elaborate frame adorned with heraldic symbols, Sidsel Lunge is presented as a woman of noble lineage. The image is rich with cultural codes related to identity, status, and gender. The surrounding coats of arms assert Lunge's belonging to an elite social class, while her demure posture and attire reflect the expectations placed on women of her time. It's a visual representation of power, but also of the constraints and expectations that came with it. Consider how Lunge's identity is constructed here. Is she merely a symbol of family prestige, or can we glimpse something of her individual experience? As we look, let’s consider how the intersection of class and gender shaped her life, and how this print immortalizes, and perhaps idealizes, her place in history.