Buste van een meisje in klederdracht B 1824

Editor: Here we have Willem van Senus’s “Bust of a Girl in Costume B” from 1824, a mixed-media engraving now at the Rijksmuseum. The subject looks almost like a doll, carefully posed and dressed. What stands out to you? Curator: It's fascinating how this image participates in the construction of Dutch identity in the 19th century. Genre paintings like this were collected and disseminated widely, shaping perceptions. Why do you think Van Senus chose this particular woman and costume? Editor: Perhaps to represent an ideal type? She’s clearly wearing traditional clothing, maybe from a specific region? Curator: Exactly. Images like this contributed to a visual language of national pride, celebrating regional differences while simultaneously knitting them together into a unified Dutch image. Consider how the Rijksmuseum itself, founded in 1800, played a role in collecting and displaying these representations, further solidifying a shared cultural narrative. Is this an accurate reflection, though, or a romanticized fantasy? Editor: I guess it raises questions about who gets to define "Dutch identity," and how regional cultures are flattened or perhaps exoticized in this process. Curator: Precisely. The very act of depicting her, distributing the image through prints, and then displaying it within the context of a national museum—all those decisions carry weight. These details highlight the politics of representation inherent in seemingly simple portraits. What does the title communicate to you? Editor: The “B” designation seems to imply there are other versions of the same girl, standardizing this cultural image and inviting comparison between depictions. I hadn't really considered how deliberate such portraits could be in shaping national identity! Curator: Indeed. It reminds us that museums are not neutral spaces, but active participants in shaping how we understand ourselves and each other.