Purpose

During the 17th century, the Dutch Republic sought to project a positive global image centred around the principles of economic endeavour, moral stewardship and military resilience. By illustrating one way in which the country sought to communicate its international position, the paper aims to provide an early example of political diplomacy and reputation management.

Design/methodology/approach

Pictorial narratives provide an important but often underutilised insight into our cultural, social and economic history. As works of art were considered legitimate and authoritative forms of communication, their importance can lie beyond any aesthetic accomplishment. Using established iconographic techniques, this paper deconstructs and interprets the meaning contained within a specific genre painting, The Young Mother (1658) by Gerrit Dou.

Findings

Rather than being devoid of meaning, The Young Mother represents a narrative purposely constructed to symbolise the cultural, religious and economic character of the United Provinces. It celebrates success through global trade, innovation and enterprise while simultaneously reminding audiences of the country’s moral and spiritual foundations. Like the patriotic allegory of De Hollandse Maag protecting the sacred space of the hortus conclusus, the painting is a secular representation of the new Loca Sancta.

Originality/value

While acknowledging that The Young Mother has been praised for its visual qualities, this paper maintains that any broader political significance has been largely overlooked. The analysis and findings therefore offer original interpretations from which new conclusions are drawn.

中文翻译：

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宣传的艺术：通过视觉形象营销国家

目的

在 17 世纪，荷兰共和国试图以经济努力、道德管理和军事韧性等原则为中心树立积极的全球形象。通过说明该国试图传达其国际地位的一种方式，本文旨在提供政治外交和声誉管理的早期例子。

设计/方法/方法

图画叙述为我们的文化、社会和经济历史提供了重要但经常未被充分利用的洞察力。由于艺术作品被认为是合法和权威的交流形式，它们的重要性可以超越任何审美成就。使用已建立的图像技术，本文解构和解释了 Gerrit Dou 的特定风俗画《年轻的母亲》（1658 年）中所包含的含义。

发现

《年轻的母亲》并非毫无意义，而是代表了一种有意构建的叙事，以象征联合省的文化、宗教和经济特征。它通过全球贸易、创新和企业庆祝成功，同时提醒观众该国的道德和精神基础。就像 De Hollandse Maag 保护 hortus conclusus 的神圣空间的爱国寓言一样，这幅画是新 Loca Sancta 的世俗表现。

原创性/价值

虽然承认《年轻的母亲》因其视觉品质而受到称赞，但本文认为，任何更广泛的政治意义都在很大程度上被忽视了。因此，分析和发现提供了原始解释，从中得出新结论。