Portret van Maria II Stuart c. 1696 - 1743

This is Jan Lamsvelt's engraved portrait of Mary Stuart, made in the Netherlands in the late 17th or early 18th century. The print presents not just an image of royalty, but also highlights the role of portraiture within the social and political landscape of the time. Note the way Mary's status is communicated through visual cues; her elaborate hairstyle, pearl necklace, and the formal framing of the portrait. Consider the role of the printmaker in disseminating such images, contributing to the construction of royal identity and its circulation among a broader public. In the Dutch Republic, the House of Orange held a central place in the political imagination. Therefore, images of its members played a crucial part in shaping public sentiment. As historians, we can delve deeper into the context of this image by exploring period sources, such as letters, pamphlets, and other visual materials to understand the social conditions that shaped its production and reception. The meaning of this portrait lies not just in its aesthetic qualities, but in its historical contingency.