Possible Portrait of Hester Vanhomrigh ('Vanessa') (1690-1723)
oil
From the collection of National Gallery of Ireland
This painting shows a woman in a blue dress with a white lace collar and a large bow on her chest. She has dark hair and is looking at the viewer. The woman's face is painted in a realistic style, with a neutral expression. Her dress is made of shiny fabric and has a low neckline. The background of the painting is dark, which makes the woman stand out. The artist who painted this portrait used chiaroscuro, a technique that uses strong contrasts between light and dark to create a sense of volume in the subject.
