Who painted Portrait of a Woman?

Portrait of a Woman was painted by Ferdinand Bol in 1656.

Where can I see Portrait of a Woman?

Portrait of a Woman is held by Statens Museum for Kunst.

What movement is Portrait of a Woman?

Portrait of a Woman is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Artwork

Portrait of a Woman

Ferdinand Bol , 1656

Portrait of a Woman is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Ferdinand Bol. It dates from 1656 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The artwork serves primarily as a visual record of the sitter rather than an allegorical or symbolic statement.

The work depicts a single female figure, identified in the records simply as a woman. Created in 1656 by Ferdinand Bol, the painting functions as a standard portrait genre piece without additional iconographic complexity or specific symbolic attributes noted in the available documentation. The subject is presented as the main focus of the composition, with no further details regarding her identity, social status, or the narrative meaning behind her representation provided by the sources.

The artwork serves primarily as a visual record of the sitter rather than an allegorical or symbolic statement.

Technique & Style

Created in 1656, Ferdinand Bol's Portrait of a Woman is executed in oil paint on a canvas support. The work measures 124.5 cm in height and 100.5 cm in width, presenting a formal portrait of a female subject. As a product of the mid-17th century Dutch tradition, the painting adheres to the genre conventions of portraiture, utilizing the medium of oil to define the sitter's features and attire. The physical dimensions and material composition are consistent with standard large-scale portrait formats of the period.

History & Provenance

Ferdinand Bol painted Portrait of a Woman in 1656 using oil on canvas. The work measures 124.5 cm in height and 100.5 cm in width. No specific details regarding the original commission or early ownership have been documented in the available records. The painting is currently held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

The painting is held by the Statens Museum for Kunst (SMK), the Danish national gallery in Copenhagen, which lists the work within its collection.

Its inventory designation at the museum is KMSsp428, an identifier used in the SMK's catalogue records for the piece. No further provenance details or prior ownership history are documented in the available sources.

No exhibition history is recorded for the work in the sources provided.

Overview

Ferdinand Bol’s Portrait of a Woman (1656) is an oil painting that exemplifies the Dutch Golden Age’s focus on refined portraiture. Executed in the mid‑17th century, the work presents a seated female sitter in a modest yet dignified pose, rendered with the compositional balance typical of Bol’s mature period.