Who painted Portrait of a young woman?

Portrait of a young woman was painted by Eglon van der Neer in 1650-01-01.

Where can I see Portrait of a young woman?

Portrait of a young woman is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Portrait of a young woman?

Portrait of a young woman is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Can I buy a print of Portrait of a young woman?

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

Artwork

Portrait of a young woman

Eglon van der Neer , 1650

Portrait of a young woman is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Eglon van der Neer. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Technique & Style

The medium and support combination of oil on canvas was standard for the period, allowing for the detailed rendering required in this intimate-scale work.

The Portrait of a young woman by Eglon van der Neer is an oil painting executed on a canvas support, created in 1650. The work measures 33.6 cm in height and 26.7 cm in width. As a portrait genre piece, the artist employed oil paint to depict a female subject, adhering to the formal conventions of mid-17th-century portraiture.

The medium and support combination of oil on canvas was standard for the period, allowing for the detailed rendering required in this intimate-scale work.

Legacy

The portrait has been cited by scholars as an influential example of 17th‑century Dutch portraiture, demonstrating Eglon van der Neer’s skill in rendering psychological depth within the genre. Its composition informed later portrait painters who sought to combine realistic likeness with subtle narrative detail. The work remains on view at the Rijksmuseum, where it is frequently referenced in studies of Dutch Golden Age portraiture.

Overview

Eglon van der Neer’s oil portrait, painted circa 1650, presents a young woman in the refined manner typical of Dutch Golden‑Age portraiture. The work, now part of the Rijksmuseum collection, exemplifies the period’s focus on elegant, individualized representation, offering a glimpse into contemporary fashion and social conventions.

Subject & Meaning

The sitter is shown in modest 17th‑century attire: a brown dress with a white lace collar, a shawl over her right shoulder, and pearl earrings. Her pose, right arm resting on a dark cloth, left elbow bent with hand near the hip, combined with a slight rightward gaze, conveys a calm, composed demeanor that reflects the era’s ideals of modesty and poise.

History & Provenance

Created during the height of the Dutch Golden Age, the portrait entered the Rijksmuseum’s holdings as part of its Dutch 17th‑century collection. Its attribution to van der Neer aligns with his known output of portraiture and genre scenes, confirming his role as a painter of fashionable subjects in mid‑17th‑century Holland.

Portrait of a young woman, Nicolaes Maes

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Artist & collection

Artist

Eglon van der Neer

Eglon van der Neer (1635/36 – 3 May 1703) was a Dutch painter of historical scenes, portraits and elegant, fashionable people, and later of landscapes.