Cornelia van Schuylenburgh (1703-84), Wife of Diederik van Bleyswijk 1761

Conrad Kuster painted this portrait of Cornelia van Schuylenburgh in oil on canvas. The image presents us with a woman of status, if not nobility, posed in a cultivated outdoor setting. Note the formal garden architecture. The pearl necklace and lace details of her gown are subtle markers of wealth. But what does this portrait tell us about the social position of women in the Netherlands in the late 18th century? The woman’s gaze is fixed and she seems confident but not overly assertive. The clothing and setting suggest that she is free to enjoy the privileges of her class. She is portrayed as an individual, but her identity is closely tied to that of her husband. As a historian, I might look at estate inventories, letters, and other family records to discover more about Cornelia and her life. The meaning of this image is rooted in the social and institutional circumstances of its making.