Portretten van de courtisanes genaamd Schone Maritje en Madame Agnes de Vit 1635

This print, made by Crispijn van de Passe the Younger, immortalizes two courtesans, Schone Maritje and Madame Agnes de Vit. Note the portraits are contained within ovals, a traditional symbol of containment and preservation, often used to frame images of the deceased or venerated. Consider the gesture of Madame Agnes, pointing with a delicate finger toward what seems to be a flower or jewel on her chest. This gesture, appearing across centuries in various guises, echoes the classical Venus Pudica, a motif of modesty. However, here, it takes on a new, perhaps ironic dimension. What was once a symbol of chastity is transformed into a gesture of display, drawing attention to the very adornments that signify her trade. This transformation reflects a broader cultural tension, where symbols of virtue are repurposed and reinterpreted in the context of commerce and desire. The power of such imagery lies in its ability to engage our subconscious, triggering primal responses that are layered with cultural and historical meanings. It is a cycle of continuous reinvention, where the past informs the present, and symbols are never truly lost, but merely transformed.