Portrait of a Woman
1646
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
About the artist
Artist
Govert Flinck
Govert Flinck (1615–1660) was a Dutch artist, born in Kleve.
See the richer artist page1646
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Portrait of a Woman is a 1646 unspecified by Govert Flinck, a Baroque work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This painting shows a woman with a serious face. She's dressed in dark clothes and has a big hat. The painting is interesting because it was once thought to be a portrait of a famous Dutch scholar, but that's not true. The woman in the painting looks very serious and dignified. We don't know who she really is, but she seems complex. You can learn more about this style by looking up the technique of chiaroscuro.
Because of an inscription on the back, this painting was long considered a portrait of Anna Maria van Schurman, a prominent Dutch scholar and artist. These words, however, were added much later and incorrectly state that Anna Maria was 42 years old, when in reality she would have been 39. Furthermore, Flinck's likeness does not resemble other known portraits of this famous woman. Although her identity remains unknown, his sitter has an austere dignity and emotional complexity that captures her individuality through the careful description of her expression and dress. Due to this naturalism…
Read the full account in the museum source.
Govert Flinck (1615–1660) was a Dutch artist, born in Kleve.
See the richer artist pageYour cart is empty
Explore artworks →
