Rachel de Ruvigny, Countess of Southampton, as Fortune

About this work

This painting shows a woman in a blue dress with a white underdress, holding a golden staff in her right hand. Her left hand rests on a large, round object. The woman wears a pearl necklace and has a blue cloth draped over her head, flowing behind her. She sits on a cloud, with a skull below her feet. The woman's dress and the cloth behind her are rendered in shiny, flowing folds. The background is dark, with a hint of yellow at the top. The overall effect is one of elegance and refinement. This painting is a portrait of Rachel de Ruvigny, Countess of Southampton, as Fortune. To learn more about the artist, look up Anthony van Dyck.