Portret van Louise de Coligny

This is Jacob Houbraken's portrait of Louise de Coligny, made in the Netherlands sometime in the 18th century. As with other formal portraits, the image is as much about social status and power as it is about the person depicted. Louise de Coligny was not only a member of the French aristocracy but also, by marriage, of the Dutch Royal House of Orange. We see those two allegiances displayed in the visual codes of the image. Her elegant lace shawl speaks to French fashion, while the pearls and other jewels remind us of her royal connections. Even the lettering beneath the image – ‘Princess Widow of Orange’ – points to how her social identity has been shaped by historical circumstance and institutional structures. To understand this image fully, we might want to research the history of the House of Orange and how it became entwined with the Dutch state, or the history of the French aristocracy and its relationship to the monarchy. It is through understanding such contexts that we can truly unlock the meaning of art.