Portret van Anna Agnesia Bruce-Schimmelpenninck 1832 - 1873

Wilhelmus Cornelis Chimaer van Oudendorp made this portrait of Anna Agnesia Bruce-Schimmelpenninck around 1869. It gives us a glimpse into the social conventions and values of the Dutch upper class during that time. The portrait's visual codes speak volumes. Anna Agnesia's poised posture, her fashionable dress, and the delicate lace at her collar all signify her social standing. It is a constructed image, carefully designed to project a certain image of respectability and refinement. The fact that Anna Agnesia is portrayed as a woman of leisure, with time for elegant attire and portrait sittings, speaks to the economic structures that supported such a lifestyle. To understand this artwork fully, we need to consult resources that illuminate the history of the Netherlands in the 19th century, the economic and social structure of the Dutch upper class, and the artistic conventions of portraiture during that time. Art is more than just aesthetics; it is a reflection of the world in which it was created.