Portrait of Empress Maria Theresa
1766
unspecified
From the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst
1766
unspecified
From the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst
A woman in a long, fancy dress stands in a dim room. She holds a small object in her right hand, and her left hand rests on a table with a decorative vase. The dress has ruffles at the sleeves and a high collar, with layers of fabric flowing down to the floor. Her hair is pulled back neatly, and she looks straight ahead with a calm expression. The painting uses strong light and shadow to make her dress and face stand out against the dark background. This trick makes the fabric look almost three-dimensional. Look up *chiaroscuro* to learn more about this lighting technique.
