The Regents of the Spinhuis and Nieuwe Werkhuis, Amsterdam 1669

Karel du Jardin painted ‘The Regents of the Spinhuis and Nieuwe Werkhuis, Amsterdam’ using oil on canvas. A traditional medium, oil paint is made by suspending pigments in drying oil, usually linseed. Du Jardin applied this viscous mixture to a woven canvas support, building up layers to create a remarkable illusion of form. This technique, mastered over centuries, allowed the artist to capture not just likenesses but also the weighty fabrics, composed faces, and somber atmosphere of the scene. The Spinhius was a women's prison, and the painting shows the men charged with its oversight. Notice the almost complete lack of color—this is very deliberate. The clothing is black, not just because of sumptuary codes, but because expensive black dye was considered the most appropriate and serious choice. Ultimately, understanding the materiality of ‘The Regents’ helps us see it not just as a picture, but as a carefully constructed representation of power, labor, and social control. It bridges the so-called fine arts and their wider social context.