Portret van Willem Sewel 1705

Jacob de Later made this print of Willem Sewel in 1705. The portrait commemorates Sewel as an elder statesman of Amsterdam. But what does this image tell us about the cultural role of intellectuals in the Dutch Republic? Sewel's direct gaze and simple clothing convey an image of civic virtue, an important value in Dutch society. The Latin inscription and the references to Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom, places Sewel within a classical intellectual tradition. This would have appealed to the educated elite. The print also elevates Sewel to a position of civic importance. He was a respected historian, translator and playwright, and one of the most important intellectuals of his day. This portrait immortalizes Sewel as a figure of public significance. By researching Sewel’s writings and his role in Amsterdam’s intellectual circles, we can understand the social networks that supported artistic and intellectual life in the Dutch Golden Age. The meaning of this image, therefore, depends on reconstructing its original social and institutional context.