Princess Sophia, Later Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Electress of Hanover 1648

Gerard van Honthorst painted Princess Sophia, later Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Electress of Hanover, in oil on canvas. Van Honthorst was a Dutch Golden Age painter, and he worked in the formal idiom expected for royal portraiture. Such portraits helped to establish dynastic lines, consolidate political power, and project particular notions of beauty and class. Sophia’s likeness would have circulated among other European courts, contributing to marriage negotiations and solidifying alliances. The pearl necklace and other signifiers of wealth denote her status within a strict social hierarchy that this image upholds. However, images can also be a site of contestation. For instance, other portraits of women at this time might include musical instruments or books, indicating a learned and cultured sitter. Sophia is holding flowers, which could suggest other virtues. By studying the painting’s composition, the symbolic meanings of objects, and the social history of the sitter, we gain insight into the complex exchange between artist, patron, and audience.