Portrait of the Artist's Grandmother Margriet Pouwelsdr. c. 17th century

Curator: This is Cornelis Bega’s "Portrait of the Artist's Grandmother Margriet Pouwelsdr.," a small drawing held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's delicate. A rather muted palette, and yet, there's a quiet strength in her profile. I feel drawn to it. Curator: Indeed. Portraits like these served multiple functions. On one level, they were familial records, preserving likeness and lineage, cementing social bonds in Dutch society. Editor: I think it is amazing how images like this can evoke such a sense of familiarity, even across centuries. The headdress, for instance, speaks to the customs of her time, a visual marker of identity. Curator: Right, and her gaze, directed confidently forward, it's not merely representational. It transmits dignity and wisdom, qualities highly valued, becoming symbolic of ancestral fortitude. Editor: Looking at it again, I find myself moved by the subtle details, how they connect to this idea of memory and the enduring power of family. Curator: Yes, it brings forward a remarkable woman of her time.