Anna Maria Magdalena Bauert, née Marr 1761 - 1762

Cornelius Høyer painted this miniature portrait of Anna Maria Magdalena Bauert in oils, sometime in the late 18th century. This image, like many portraits of the period, offers a glimpse into the world of the European bourgeois. Anna Maria is posed outside with a dog and a bird of prey, symbols of wealth and status in Denmark at this time. The family name and its association with a particular region or city would have been important for social mobility. The miniature format of the portrait itself speaks to a culture of gift-giving and memorializing within a closed circle of family and friends. As an art historian, I might look into probate records or tax lists to get a better sense of Anna Maria's background, or study the history of the Bauert family to understand the codes of dress and display. In this way, the aesthetic qualities of the painting are better understood in light of wider social and institutional contexts.