Portret van Martha Catharine Strykin 1700 - 1713

This is Pieter Schenk’s portrait of Martha Catharina Strykin, made with engraving. Schenk created this portrait during a time when the Dutch Republic was a major center for trade, science, and the arts, reflecting the prosperity and cultural sophistication of the era. Strykin's portrayal, framed within an oval, presents her as a woman of status, adorned in fine garments that reflect her position in society. Note the German text below the image, a lament that speaks to the transience of life and earthly beauty. The poem suggests a tension between the desire for remembrance and the inevitability of decay, a common theme in portraiture of this period. Consider how the portrait, while commemorating Strykin, also serves as a moral reflection on mortality. It makes you wonder about the artist’s intentions, in creating this portrayal to not only celebrate her life but also to remind us of the fleeting nature of existence.