Portret van Theodoor de Veer Possibly 1849

Johann Peter Berghaus created this lithograph of Theodoor de Veer in the mid-19th century. The image presents a figure embodying the virtues of the Dutch Golden Age, a period of economic and cultural flourishing in the Netherlands. Yet, this portrait invites us to reflect on who was included, and who was excluded, from this narrative of progress. The subject's confident pose and attire speak to a certain level of societal privilege, a privilege not afforded to all. How might the story of this era change if told from the perspective of those laboring in the colonies, or women excluded from the burgeoning merchant class? As you consider this artwork, contemplate the stories it tells and the silences it holds, and how these silences might inform our understanding of identity, history, and representation.