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Portrait of Henriette Petersen, née Philipsen, Mrs Michael Christian Petersen

Unknown

1850

unspecified

From the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst

Portrait

Dominant colour

Portrait of Henriette Petersen, née Philipsen, Mrs Michael Christian Petersen is a 1850 unspecified by Unknown, held at Statens Museum for Kunst.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1850
Where can I see it?: Statens Museum for Kunst

About this work

This painting shows a woman sitting indoors, dressed in a dark, fitted gown with a high collar and a white underlayer. Her hair is pulled back under a tall, decorative hat. She holds a folded cloth in one hand and rests the other on her lap. The background is plain, with a dark wall and a hint of a window frame on the left. Her expression is calm but serious, with a slight tilt to her head. The way the light hits her face and clothes creates soft shadows, making the details stand out. Look up *chiaroscuro* to see how this lighting trick works.