Portrait of Adriana Croes 1644

Curator: Here we have Johannes Verspronck's "Portrait of Adriana Croes," dating back to 1644. What’s your immediate reaction to this image? Editor: Stark! So much monochrome...she looks very neat. Almost aggressively so. That ruff could double as a satellite dish. Curator: (chuckles) It does make a statement. But think of the craftsmanship! I wonder how long it took to pleat and maintain such a perfect collar. All that labor, focused on creating status. The sheer volume of that linen. It would take specialized workers with precise skill. It makes you think about all of the steps that lead to the painting too. Editor: You're right, I'm picturing a whole industry dedicated to crisp white ruffs. The amount of starch! Someone had to be cultivating flax, spinning it, weaving it, constructing that garment with painstaking care, cleaning and pressing. The painting conceals that labour, which speaks volumes. It’s easy to overlook the class dimensions of something so seemingly simple. The hands too are so central and delicate. What kind of work do they do? How have they come to have so little relation to all the labor implied in her collar? Curator: The dark, almost plain background helps draw the eye to Adriana’s face, doesn’t it? I am always captured by her expression: It’s hard to read but hints at resilience and perhaps a hint of humour? Editor: It's reserved, like she's holding something back, certainly. The overall impression for me, however, remains how she is staged with this almost suffocating insistence on precision. Do you think that speaks more about Verspronck or his patron? Curator: Both, I think. The artist certainly had technical skill but must have collaborated with the sitter to achieve a very specific vision for her place in society. Editor: I guess she certainly embodies that era’s ideal of prosperity and discipline. Very sobering, really, how materials and class intertwine. Curator: Indeed. Seeing it from this point is certainly humbling, adding even more depth to appreciating this artwork, don't you agree? Editor: Yes, absolutely! Another image reshaped and seen with new eyes. Thank you.