Portrait of a Lady
1635
unspecified
From the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst
1635
unspecified
From the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst
A woman stands in the center of the painting, dressed in a dark, patterned dress with a wide white collar and lace cuffs. Her sleeves are puffy and white, trimmed with lace, and she wears a matching lace cap. She holds a small white cloth in one hand and rests the other on her chest, with a gold chain necklace and bracelet visible. The dark background makes her stand out sharply, focusing all attention on her face and clothes. The painting uses light and shadow to create a three-dimensional effect. Look up chiaroscuro to see how artists use light and dark like this.
