Zelfportret van Jan Adam Kruseman Jansz Possibly 1841 - 1848

Jan Adam Kruseman created this self-portrait in lithograph in the Netherlands, likely around the 1830s. It depicts the artist with a composed, thoughtful expression, typical of portraiture during the period. But how does an image like this participate in the visual culture of its time? Consider the rise of the middle class in the Netherlands and Europe more broadly. The emergence of a market for art that reflected the values and aspirations of this new social class. Kruseman, who came from a family of artists, would have been deeply aware of these shifting social dynamics. His family's status within the art world shaped his career. Self-portraits like this served not only as personal reflections but as professional calling cards, demonstrating artistic skill and social standing. To understand Kruseman's world, we turn to genealogical records, exhibition catalogues, and period criticism. These kinds of resources show how the history of art is inseparable from its social and institutional contexts.