Fotoreproductie van een portret van Anne Cresacre door Hans Holbein before 1877

Editor: This is a reproduction of a portrait drawing of Anne Cresacre by Hans Holbein, created sometime before 1877. It's a pencil drawing and there's something quite gentle about the way she's portrayed, despite the formal attire. How do you interpret this work? Curator: What strikes me is the quiet power conveyed through Holbein's sharp but delicate lines. While it’s "just" a reproduction, we must acknowledge the weight that portraiture carried in the Tudor era, particularly for women. These images served to define their status and desirability in a highly patriarchal society. Editor: So, it's less about capturing likeness and more about constructing a certain image? Curator: Exactly! Consider the very limited agency Anne Cresacre had in shaping her own narrative. Holbein’s original drawing, now lost, and subsequently this photographic reproduction, became crucial artifacts in how she was seen and understood by history, all while she likely had little control over this representation. The very act of making and circulating such images underscores societal power structures of the time. What do you notice about her gaze? Editor: She doesn't meet the viewer's eyes. There's a sense of modesty, or perhaps constraint. Curator: Precisely! This averted gaze reinforces the expected demureness of women within the societal expectations. What implications do you think that carries? Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way, but you're right. It's easy to see a beautiful drawing, but miss the subtle ways it reinforces societal norms. Curator: And that’s precisely why looking at historical works through an intersectional lens can be so powerful. Editor: Thanks, I’ve learned that images do more than meets the eye; their contexts speak volumes!