Portretten van de koningin van Denemarken en Maria de Nemours, hertogin van Savoye, beiden als herderin 1640

This undated print by Crispijn van de (II) Passe presents us with portraits of two noble women, the Queen of Denmark and Maria de Nemours, Duchess of Savoy, recast in the pastoral roles of shepherdesses. Here, gender, class, and the visual language of pastoral romance converge. The shepherdess figure, popularized in literature and art, allowed aristocratic women to perform a fantasy of simplicity and closeness to nature, while reaffirming their elevated status. The women are adorned in finery and jewels, their crooks more symbolic than practical. This image is less about rural labor and more about constructing an idealized vision of femininity and power. These portraits offer a glimpse into the complex negotiation of identity in the 17th century, where the boundaries between reality and representation, power and performance, were constantly being negotiated. They prompt us to reflect on the ways in which art can both reflect and shape our understanding of self and society.