Artwork

Portrait of a Woman

Portrait of a Woman, by Bernhard Strigel, oil, 1510
Portrait of a Woman, by Bernhard Strigel, oil, 1510

Portrait of a Woman is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Bernhard Strigel. It dates from 1510 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

A window appears in the background, a common motif in portraiture of this era used to provide spatial depth or symbolic light.

Created in 1510 by Bernhard Strigel, this oil painting on a lime panel depicts a single female subject. The composition focuses on the woman's upper body, characterized by specific attire and accessories that define her status. She wears a coif, a traditional head covering, along with a necklace and a ring.

Her clothing features visible embroidery, suggesting wealth or social standing. A window appears in the background, a common motif in portraiture of this era used to provide spatial depth or symbolic light. While the work serves primarily as a likeness of the individual, the inclusion of jewelry and detailed textiles functions as iconography representing the sitter's identity and position within society. The piece is currently held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Technique & Style

The painting is executed in oil on a lime-wood panel, a common German support of the early sixteenth century. The handling is precise and linear, with sharply defined contours that delineate the sitter’s facial features and costume. The palette is restrained, dominated by muted earth tones enlivened by small accents of red in the lips and jewel tones in the necklace and embroidery.

The composition is organized frontally, with the woman’s gaze meeting the viewer and a window opening behind her right shoulder, lending subtle spatial recession. Stylistic hallmarks include the crisp modeling of the face, the patterned detailing of the coif and sleeves, and the restrained yet luminous application of oil glazes that model form without visible brushstroke.

History & Provenance

The panel Portrait of a Woman is dated to 1510 by technical and stylistic analysis of Bernhard Strigel’s oeuvre. The work entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art as a gift from William T. Blodgett in 1889, forming part of his bequest that seeded the museum’s early European paintings collection. No documented commission record survives, but the sitter’s refined attire and jewels suggest a commission from a patrician or courtly milieu in southern Germany during the final decade of Strigel’s activity.

The Portrait of a Woman by Bernhard Strigel is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. While the provided sources do not specify a unique inventory or accession number for the work, they confirm its location within this major institution. The painting, created in 1510, is an oil-on-lime-panel portrait measuring 38.4 by 26.7 centimeters.

The sources indicate that the work was owned by William T. Blodgett prior to its current residence at the museum. No specific exhibition history or dates of display are recorded in the available documentation, limiting the historical record to its current institutional holding and previous private ownership.

Overview

This oil painting, titled Portrait of a Woman, depicts an unidentified sitter positioned before a window offering a detailed landscape view. The subject is presented in elaborate attire, suggesting a person of status. The artwork showcases a refined painting technique, characterized by smooth application and a vibrant, though somewhat aged, color palette.

Portrait of a Young Woman
Portrait of a Young Woman, Master of the Female Half-Lengths

Artist & collection

Portrait of Bernhard Strigel

Artist

Bernhard Strigel

Bernhard Strigel (c. 1461 – 4 May 1528) was a German portrait and historical painter of the Swabian school, the most important of a family of artists established at Memmingen. He was born at Memmingen and was probably a…

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Frequently asked questions

Who painted Portrait of a Woman?

Portrait of a Woman was painted by Bernhard Strigel in 1510-01-01.

Where can I see Portrait of a Woman?

Portrait of a Woman is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Portrait of a Woman?

Portrait of a Woman is associated with Northern Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of Portrait of a Woman?

Museum-quality prints of Portrait of a Woman are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.