Portrait of a Lady with Castle and Trees in Background c. 17th century

Editor: Here we have a portrait of a lady, likely from the school of Anthony van Dyck. I’m struck by the castle in the background - it feels like she is literally defined by her social standing. What's your interpretation? Curator: Indeed. How might her identity be inextricably linked to inherited power and privilege represented by the castle? The pearl necklace and her dress speak volumes about economic status but also gendered expectations. What does it mean to be a woman displayed this way? Editor: So it’s not just about who she is, but the power structures that shaped her identity and representation? That’s a perspective I hadn’t fully considered. Curator: Exactly! It unveils a visual rhetoric of power.