Portrait of Petronella Lievensdr van Roy (1542-1606) c. 1662 - 1663

This is a drawing of Petronella Lievensdr van Roy, made by Jan Thopas in the Netherlands, sometime in the 17th century. The formal portrait was an important tool for solidifying the power of the Dutch mercantile elite, a social class whose wealth derived from trade rather than noble status. This image employs a complex visual code that viewers in the Dutch Golden Age would have understood intimately: her refined dress and reserved posture indicate that she is a woman of good social standing. The elaborate cartouche, framing the sitter, also indicates that this portrait was commissioned, rather than produced speculatively for the art market. The trappings of wealth communicate power and status in this newly formed Republic, where the traditional aristocracy had been overthrown in favour of a more egalitarian social order. Art historians draw on a wide range of resources to understand such images. Genealogical records help us understand family relations, while inventories and probate records allow us to reconstruct the social world inhabited by figures such as Petronella Lievensdr van Roy. These resources help us understand the public role of art in Dutch society.