Portrait of Machteld Muilman c. 1745 - 1747

Frans van der Mijn painted this life-size portrait of Machteld Muilman, likely in Amsterdam, during the late 1700s. At the time, portraiture was a display of status, and Muilman, daughter to one of the richest merchants in Amsterdam, is depicted with all the trappings of wealth: the plush carpet, ornate metalwork, and a dress whose shimmer suggests the finest silk. Note how her gaze avoids direct contact, and her body is turned away. While the blue bow at her chest and fur trim of her dress soften the image, there's a formality that speaks to the societal constraints placed upon women of her class. Even the cup and saucer she delicately holds suggests decorum above sustenance. Consider the tension between the display of material wealth and the emotional reserve that Muilman projects. This portrait offers us a window into the complex interplay of gender, class, and identity in 18th-century Dutch society, asking us to reflect on the cost of such opulence.