Portret van schilder Adam Frans van der Meulen 1825 - 1842

Nicolas Maurin created this print of Adam Frans van der Meulen sometime in the first half of the 19th century. Van der Meulen lived two centuries prior, but the circulation of his image speaks to the endurance of certain cultural values, especially regarding class and masculinity. The print captures van der Meulen in the attire of the 17th-century elite: an elaborate wig, cravat, and heavy drapery. While these fashions denote status, they also subtly feminize the sitter according to today’s gender norms. Consider how power is communicated through adornment and the performance of masculinity. Does van der Meulen’s gaze project power? Maurin's work immortalizes van der Meulen. This image signifies how artists function as cultural gatekeepers, deciding whose stories are told and how they are remembered. The portrait serves not just as a record of van der Meulen’s likeness but as a symbol of his enduring cultural relevance and the values he represents.