Portret van Juliana, gravin van Nassau-Siegen 1625

Curator: This is a 1625 portrait of Juliana, Countess of Nassau-Siegen, crafted by Crispijn van den Queborn. It’s an engraving, part of the graphic arts collection here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Intricate! Look at the details. There's a gentle quality, a quiet formality despite the incredibly elaborate clothing. You can tell she's somebody, definitely not going for understated. Curator: Absolutely. Queborn's meticulous engraving process allows us to examine the opulence of her garments: the layers of lace, the pearl-studded adornments...consider the immense labour involved in both producing such attire and rendering it with such fidelity. It speaks volumes about early 17th century social status and the culture of aristocratic display. Editor: Right. And there’s a funny balance struck, because she appears confident but not arrogant. Perhaps she was thinking about what's for dinner. Just look at her eyes; there is something else that makes her stand out compared to other aristocratic depictions from the time... It looks quite intimate. Curator: Intriguing perspective! For me, it underscores how prints like these served as important social and political tools. The Countess, through the deliberate display of wealth, solidifies her family’s position. Notice, too, how printmaking allowed for a wider circulation of such imagery. It democratised aristocratic portraiture, in a way. Editor: Democratised... yes. The clothing becomes almost another character here; a shield of protection or armor. Curator: That ties into a compelling interpretation, framing attire as material representations of power and control. Even within her family circle, Juliana was strategically positioned in multiple locations, becoming a sort of influencer within that area of Europe through these kinds of objects. Editor: I appreciate the technical skill but seeing this just reminds me how many people poured their work and art into someone else. Now I think that it shows someone confined by wealth and status. Curator: It seems we've both navigated the socio-economic dimensions revealed within Van den Queborn’s impressive craftsmanship and the interesting times Juliana lived in. Editor: Exactly. Maybe we will have her back for our next recording, there might be much more than she would ever have dreamed of.