17C Women Making Lace

Job Adriaensz Berckheyde (Dutch artist, 1630-1693) Lace Maker 1666-75

William Shakespeare wrote Twelfth Night c 1601-02, and its 1st recorded performance was in 1602. Duke Orsino says:

O, fellow, come, the song we had last night. Mark it, Cesario, it is old and plain; The spinsters and the knitters in the sun And the free maids that weave their thread with bones Do use to chant it: it is silly sooth, And dallies with the innocence of love, Like the old age.

This refers to bobbin lace: weave their thread with bones. Small bones used to be used as bobbins, to wind the thread round. Bobbin lace is essentially weaving, with the pins creating gaps to form the patterns.

Caspar Netscher (Dutch Baroque Era Painter, c 1635-1684) The Lacemaker 1662

Bernhard Keil (Danish Baroque Era Painter, 1624-1687) The Lacemaker

Bernhard Keil (Danish Baroque Era Painter, 1624-1687) The Lacemaker

Frans van Mieris the Elder (Dutch painter, 1635-1681) The Lacemaker

Gabriel Metsu (Dutch painter, 1629-1667) The Lacemaker

Gerrit Dou (Dutch Baroque Era Painter, 1613-1675) Lacemaker 1667

Jan Miense Molenaer (Dutch artist. 1610-1669) Lacemaker

Johannes Vermeer (Dutch Baroque Era Painter, 1632-1675) The-Lacemaker-1669-70

Nicolaes Maes (Dutch artist, 1634-1693) Lacemaker 1655

Pieter Cornelisz. van Slingelandt (Dutch Baroque Era Painter, 1640-1691) Lacemaker 1672-3.

 Nicolaes Maes (Dutch artist, 1634-1693) Lacemaker 1655

Pieter Jacobsz. Codde (Dutch artist,1599-1678) Lacemaker

Nicolaes Maes (Dutch artist, 1634-1693) Lacemaker

Pieter Cornelisz. van Slingelandt (Dutch Baroque Era Painter, 1640-1691) Lacemaker 1670

Nicolaes Maes (Dutch artist, 1634-1693) The Lacemaker

Pieter Jacobsz. Codde (Dutch artist,  1599-1678) Lacemaker

Nicolaes Maes (Dutch artist, 1634-1693) Old Woman Dozing (Lacemaker) 1656

Gabriel Metsu (Dutch painter, 1629-1667)  Lacemaker

18C Women Around the World

Costumes de Differents Pays, by Jacques Grasset de Saint-Sauveur (France, 1757-1810) c 1797 Hand-Colored Engraving from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

By the end of the 18C, worldwide exploration & colonization by Europeans were fairly commonplace, enabling the late 18C & 19C public to catch a glimpse of the clothing & customs of other peoples.

17C Dutch Women Reading & Writing Letters - No email, No texting...

Gerard Terborch (Dutch Baroque Era Painter, 1617-1681) Woman Writing a Letter 1655 detail

Communicating was not that easy in the 17th century. Writers would pour out their hearts in a letter; hope to keep secret plans & tender emotions private; hand the letter over to a hopefully trustworthy messenger for dispatch; & attempt to wait patiently for a reply.

Gerard Terborch (Dutch Baroque Era Painter, 1617-1681) The Letter 1655 detail

Gerard Terborch (Dutch Baroque Era Painter, 1617-1681) Curiosity detail 

Gerard Terborch (Dutch Baroque Era Painter, 1617-1681) Messenger with Letter

Gerard Terborch (Dutch Baroque Era Painter, 1617-1681) The Message

Gerard Terborch (Dutch Baroque Era Painter, 1617-1681) Woman Reading a Letter detail

Gabriel Metsu (Dutch Baroque Era Painter, 1629-1667) Woman Reading a Letter 1664-666

Johannes Vermeer (Dutch Baroque Era Painter, 1632-1675) A Lady Writing c 1665

Johannes Vermeer (Dutch Baroque Era Painter, 1632-1675) Mistress Writing and Maid

Johannes Vermeer (Dutch Baroque Era Painter, 1632-1675) Woman in Blue Reading a Letter 1657

18C Women Around the World

Costumes de Differents Pays, by Jacques Grasset de Saint-Sauveur (France, 1757-1810) c 1797 Hand-Colored Engraving from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

By the end of the 18C, worldwide exploration & colonization by Europeans were fairly commonplace, enabling the late 18C & 19C public to catch a glimpse of the clothing & customs of other peoples.

Women by Flemish Peter Paul Rubens 1577-1640

c 1620 Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) Probably Susanna Lunden (Fourment) Her sister Helena was Rubens' 2nd wife

1620-30 Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) Isabella Brant, the artist's first wife

Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) Isabella Brandt, the artist's first wife

Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) Portrait of a Woman

1621-22 Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) Anne of Austria

1622 Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) Marie de Medici

1622-25 Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) Marie de Medici as Bellona

1622-25 Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) Anna of Austria, Queen of France & mother of King Louis XIV

1625 c Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) Isabella Brandt

1625 c Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) The Straw Hat

1625 Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) Infanta Isabella the Ruler of the Netherlands

1625-6 Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) Isabella Brandt

1625-29 c Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) Catherine Manners Duchess of Buckingham

c 1630 Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) Artist's 2nd wife Helena Fourment

c 1631 Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) Artist's 2nd wife Helena Fourment

1632 c Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) Artist's 2nd wife Helena Fourment with Gloves

1635 Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) Artist's 2nd wife Helena Fourment with son Francis

c 1639 Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) Altarpiece of St Ildefonso, Right Panel

c 1639 Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) Artist's 2nd wife Helena Fourment with a Coach

c 1640 Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) Woman with a Mirror

Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) Artist's 2nd wife Helena Fourment

Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) Girl with a Fan

Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) Infanta Clara Eugenia Governess of the Netherlands

Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) Marchesa Brigida Spinola Doria

Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) Maria Serra Pallavicino

Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish Baroque painter, 1577-1640) Probably Susanna Lunden