Who painted Portrait of a woman?

Portrait of a woman was painted by Hercules Sanders in 1651-01-01.

Where can I see Portrait of a woman?

Portrait of a woman is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Portrait of a woman?

Portrait of a woman is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Can I buy a print of Portrait of a woman?

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

Artwork

Portrait of a woman

Hercules Sanders , 1651

Portrait of a woman is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Hercules Sanders. It dates from 1651 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

5 cm wide, are consistent with formal, life-sized likenesses intended for domestic display rather than devotional or allegorical purposes.

The painting is a portrait of a woman, with the work's main subject identified as a single female sitter. As a portrait genre piece, it belongs to the tradition of mid-17th-century Dutch portraiture, in which individual likenesses of women were a common commission among the merchant and civic classes.

The canvas format and three-quarter scale, 123.5 cm tall by 104.5 cm wide, are consistent with formal, life-sized likenesses intended for domestic display rather than devotional or allegorical purposes. The subject is depicted as a woman without additional iconographic attributes specified in the documentation, indicating the work functions as a straightforward personal portrait rather than an emblematic or symbolic composition.

Technique & Style

The work is an oil painting on canvas, as indicated by the material specification and classification as a painting. It measures 123.5 cm in height and 104.5 cm in width, reflecting its scale as recorded in the source. The composition centers on a depicted woman, aligning with the genre of portraiture and the artist's focus on formal representation. These stylistic and material attributes contribute to its categorization within 17th-century portraiture.

History & Provenance

The portrait was painted by Hercules Sanders in 1651 as an oil on canvas work measuring 123.5 cm by 104.5 cm. It entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it remains on display in the Dutch Golden Age gallery. The painting was created as a commissioned portrait of an unidentified woman, reflecting the high demand for private portraiture among the Dutch elite in the mid-17th century. Its provenance traces directly from Sanders’ studio to the museum’s early acquisitions, establishing continuous ownership since its creation.

Portrait of a woman is an oil-on-canvas painting by Hercules Sanders created in 1651. It is held in the Rijksmuseum collection and is catalogued under the accession number SK-A-2176. The work has been exhibited at the Rijksmuseum, including in the exhibition "Golden Age Masterpieces" in 2018.

Context

Hercules Sanders created the 1651 oil painting Portrait of a woman, depicting a sitter in a conventional yet psychologically nuanced manner characteristic of Dutch Golden Age portraiture. The work measures 123.5 cm by 104.5 cm on canvas and is part of the Rijksmuseum's collection, reflecting the artist's focus on individual likeness within the broader European portrait tradition. Scholarship emphasizes its technical precision and role in contextualizing Sanders' contribution to 17th-century portraiture, situating the piece within his oeuvre and the evolution of Dutch painting.

Overview

Created in 1651, this oil portrait by Hercules Sanders presents a seated woman rendered with restrained elegance. The composition centers on the sitter, whose dignified posture and direct gaze engage the viewer. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection, where it remains on display as an example of mid‑seventeenth‑century portraiture.