Vrouw met ring in de hand 1722 - 1774

Christian Wilhelm Ernst Dietrich created this etching of a woman with a ring sometime in the 18th century. Its modest size speaks to its original context as a print, intended for circulation among collectors and other artists. Throughout Europe at this time, the rise of printmaking fueled a growing art market, distinct from the patronage of the church and aristocracy. The fine, delicate lines of the etching technique allowed for detailed reproduction and widespread distribution of images. This print, now held by the Rijksmuseum, probably once belonged to a collector's album, where it would have been appreciated for its technical skill and perhaps studied as an example of the artist's style. The ring, clutched in her hand, is a signifier of social status and wealth. Such artifacts provide historians with valuable insights into the tastes, values, and collecting habits of the period. Catalogues, inventories, and other archival sources help us reconstruct the world in which such artworks were made and circulated, revealing the complex social life of images in the past.