"Identity construction" is a hot topic across disciples. Van der Stighelen (art history, Katholieke U. Leuven, Belgium) introduces 13 essays by international scholars offering interpretations of 17th century Flemish and Dutch portraiture in psychological, medical, social, religious, and gender norm contexts. Representations of persons in this early modern art genre popular with the bourgeoisie of the period are linked to ideas of character and emotions, and reveal evidence of diseases, social image and conventions (e.g., about nudity). Three of the essays and the appendix are in untranslated Flemish or Dutch. The book is distributed in North America by The David Brown Book Co. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)