Portret van Frederica Louise Wilhelmina 1780 - 1803

Charles Melchior Descourtis made this print of Frederica Louise Wilhelmina in the late eighteenth century. This portrait, neatly enclosed in an oval frame, presents us with the visual codes of elite status. Consider the towering, powdered wig, the fashionable dress, and the decorative brooch. These elements speak to the social world of European aristocracy during a time of radical transformation. Looking at the artwork through a wider lens, we may consider the way the subject’s status as royalty reflects a society organized by birthright and hierarchy. Institutions of art at this time often served to reinforce the existing order through portraits and other visual representations of power. To more fully understand this print, historians would consult primary source materials such as letters, diaries, and financial documents. These help to shed light on the changing cultural meanings of rank and aristocracy at this time. The meaning of this image is contingent on these wider structures.