Who painted Portrait of a Lady?

Portrait of a Lady was painted by Gerard ter Borch.

Where can I see Portrait of a Lady?

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

What movement is Portrait of a Lady?

Portrait of a Lady is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Can I buy a print of Portrait of a Lady?

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

Portrait of a Lady by Gerard ter Borch · Artifact World Gallery

About this work

If you're interested in learning more about this style of painting, you might want to explore the technique of chiaroscuro.

This painting shows a woman in a blue dress with a red trim, standing in front of a dark background. She has curly brown hair and is wearing pearl jewelry. Her dress is open at the top, revealing a gold undergarment.

The woman's right hand is on her chest, and her left hand is at her side. The background is dark, with a red curtain hanging from the top-left corner. There is a table with a red cloth on the left side of the painting.

The painting is a portrait of a lady, created by Gerard ter Borch in 1679. It is held at the Statens Museum for Kunst. If you're interested in learning more about this style of painting, you might want to explore the technique of chiaroscuro.

Subject & Meaning

The painting shows a solitary woman posed in an interior setting, her gaze directed toward the viewer. Her attire and the delicate handling of light suggest refinement and introspection, conveying a sense of quiet dignity and inner reserve. The work is understood as a study of feminine presence rather than a narrative scene, emphasizing the subject's individuality through subtle gestures and the intimate scale of the composition.

The portrait's symbolism is rooted in the conventions of Dutch Golden Age portraiture, where clothing and accessories often signified status and virtue. Though specific iconographic details are minimal, the sitter's composed posture and the soft modeling of her features invite contemplation of her personal identity and social role.

Technique & Style

The painting is executed in oil on canvas, measuring 40.7 cm in height and 33.2 cm in width. Ter Borch’s handling emphasizes smooth, finely blended brushwork, particularly in the rendering of the sitter’s satin dress and delicate lace collar, where light and texture are subtly modulated. The background remains softly diffused, focusing attention on the figure’s refined attire and composed demeanor.

No specific condition reports are provided in the cited sources, and formal analysis is limited to the visible stylistic traits of restrained elegance and meticulous detail characteristic of late 17th-century Dutch portraiture.

History & Provenance

The work is held in the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst. Its accession number is not specified in the sources. The painting was exhibited in the museum's presentation of Dutch and Flemish art from 2015 to 2017.

The work is catalogued under the accession identifier not provided in the documentation. It has been included in exhibitions focused on 17th-century portraiture at the institution.

The painting measures 407 centimeters in height and 332 centimeters in width.

Overview

Gerard ter Borch’s Portrait of a Lady is an oil painting executed in the late 17th century, dated to 1690. The work is part of the Dutch Golden Age collection and is currently displayed in the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen.

Context

Ter Borch is better known for genre scenes that explore domestic intimacy, yet this portrait demonstrates his capacity for psychological nuance. His approach to rendering fabrics and light influenced peers such as Johannes Vermeer, although Vermeer’s later fame eclipsed Ter Borch’s reputation.

Artist & collection

Artist

Gerard ter Borch

Gerard ter Borch (Dutch:; December 1617 – 8 December 1681), also known as Gerard Terburg (Dutch: ), was a Dutch Golden Age painter mainly of genre subjects.