Portret van mevrouw Van Krieken met haar zoon c. 1851 - 1883

Johan Hendrik Hoffmeister created this portrait of Mrs. Van Krieken and her son using lithography. The mother’s protective gesture, her arm draped over her son’s shoulder, speaks to a universal motif of maternal care. We see echoes of this tender embrace in countless Madonna and Child depictions throughout art history. But note the boy’s posture: he doesn't lean into his mother's embrace. His gaze is fixed, almost defiant, hinting at a burgeoning independence, a subtle break from the complete fusion of mother and child seen in earlier works. The act of portraiture itself, freezing a moment in time, becomes a kind of secular icon. Consider its evolution; from ancient funerary masks to the Renaissance cult of personality. This is not merely a likeness but a carefully constructed presentation of self, reflecting societal values and personal aspirations. The portrait endures, a testament to the ever-evolving dance between public image and private identity.