Illustratie voor het toneelstuk Ines de Castro van Rhijnvis Feith 1793

Reinier Vinkeles created this illustration for Rhijnvis Feith’s play Ines de Castro sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century using pen, gray ink, and brush. The image depicts a dramatic scene set within a grand interior, where a woman reclines lifelessly in a chair, surrounded by men in period attire. This is Ines de Castro, murdered for her love affair with Prince Pedro of Portugal. The play, and thus this image, speaks to the fraught intersection of love, power, and class. The figure with the sword represents the patriarchal authority that condemns Ines. Her death is a consequence of her defiance of social norms and her transgression of class boundaries. The narrative of Ines de Castro raises questions about female agency and the constraints placed on women within the patriarchal structures of the time. This illustration captures the raw emotion and tragic consequences of a love affair that dared to challenge societal expectations.