Artwork
Woman praying
Woman praying is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Caesar van Everdingen. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a woman wearing a hood, a figure belonging to the genre of the tronie. While the title suggests a subject of prayer, the work functions as a character or head study rather than a formal religious portrait. The iconography focuses on the facial expression and headgear of the female figure, rendered in oil on canvas as a type of 17th-century Dutch character study.
Technique & Style
The work is primarily attributed to Caesar van Everdingen, though some records also associate it with Jan van Bijlert.
Created in 1650, this work is an oil painting on canvas. It functions as a tronie, a study focusing on the head and shoulders of a woman wearing a hood, emphasizing the figure's expression rather than a narrative setting. The support measures 32.2 cm in height and 28.2 cm in width.
The work is primarily attributed to Caesar van Everdingen, though some records also associate it with Jan van Bijlert.
History & Provenance
Woman praying was created in 1650 and is attributed to Caesar van Everdingen. Measuring 32.2 by 28.2 centimeters, the painting was formerly in the collection of Adriaan van der Hoop and is now associated with the Rijksmuseum and Amsterdam Museum in Amsterdam. No specific inventory or accession number, and no exhibition history, is documented in the available sources.
Overview
Created circa 1650 by Dutch painter Caesar van Everdingen, Woman Praying is an oil on canvas portrait that belongs to the Rijksmuseum’s collection. The work presents a solitary female figure in profile, her hands joined in prayer, set against a dark, undefined background.
Context
Caesar van Everdingen (born 1616/17) was active during the Dutch Golden Age and was the elder brother of painters Allart and Jan van Everdingen. While his career is better known for historical compositions, this intimate portrait reflects the period’s interest in everyday religious sentiment and the influence of Flemish chiaroscuro techniques.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Cesar Pietersz, or Cesar Boetius van Everdingen (1616/17 – buried 13 October 1678), older brother of Allart van Everdingen and Jan van Everdingen, was a Dutch Golden Age portrait and history painter.
