Who painted Portrait of a Young Woman, Possibly Susanna Reael?

Portrait of a Young Woman, Possibly Susanna Reael was painted by Isaack Luttichuys in 1656.

Where can I see Portrait of a Young Woman, Possibly Susanna Reael?

Portrait of a Young Woman, Possibly Susanna Reael is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Portrait of a Young Woman, Possibly Susanna Reael?

Portrait of a Young Woman, Possibly Susanna Reael is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Can I buy a print of Portrait of a Young Woman, Possibly Susanna Reael?

Museum-quality prints of Portrait of a Young Woman, Possibly Susanna Reael are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Portrait of a Young Woman, Possibly Susanna Reael

Isaack Luttichuys , 1656

Portrait of a Young Woman, Possibly Susanna Reael is an unspecified painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Isaack Luttichuys. It dates from 1656 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The canvas presents a young woman dressed in a dark garment with a crisp white collar, holding a fan and gazing directly at the viewer.

About this work

Technique & Style

The handling of the medium emphasizes the quality of textiles and incorporates noble background elements, such as curtains or columns, to flatter the sitter.

The Portrait of a Young Woman, Possibly Susanna Reael (1656) by Isaack Luttichuys is executed in oil on canvas, measuring 99 × 82 cm. The work exemplifies the artist's specialization in idealized portraiture, a genre where he adapted the elegant courtly characteristics of his teacher, Anton van Dyck, for the Amsterdam bourgeoisie. Stylistically, the painting reflects the transformations in Dutch portraiture during the second half of the seventeenth century, featuring relaxed attitudes and elegant gestures typical of Luttichuys' three-quarter length compositions. The handling of the medium emphasizes the quality of textiles and incorporates noble background elements, such as curtains or columns, to flatter the sitter.

This approach distinguishes his work from that of his brother Simon, who focused on still lifes, while aligning with Luttichuys' broader output of signed portraits that sought to ennoble his clients through traditional courtly aesthetics.

History & Provenance

The work was painted in 1656 by Isaack Luttichuys, a Dutch Golden Age portraitist active in Amsterdam from 1636 and documented as engaged in 1643 and later married to Sara Grabey. It is a portrait of a young woman, possibly Susanna Reael, and measures 99 × 82 cm in oil on canvas. The painting is housed in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

Luttichuys was born in London in 1616, baptized on 25 February 1616, and died in Amsterdam on 6 March 1673. He was the brother of painter Simon Luttichuys and influenced the artist Pieter Nason. The work is recorded in the Rijksmuseum collection and described in multiple reference sources.

Portrait of a Young Woman, Possibly Susanna Reael is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam under inventory number SK-A-2558. The work has been exhibited at the Rijksmuseum, as documented in and. It was included in the exhibition 'Dutch Masters of the Golden Age' at the Rijksmuseum in 2019, according to.

Context

Isaack Luttichuys operated within the competitive Amsterdam portrait market during the Dutch Golden Age. Trained under Van Dyck in London, Luttichuys brought a courtly elegance to the bourgeois republic, specializing in idealized three-quarter-length portraits that flattered his clientele through relaxed poses, elegant gestures, rich fabrics, and ennobling elements like columns and curtains. This approach reflected broader transformations in Amsterdam portraiture during the second half of the seventeenth century, heavily influenced by Van Dyck.

Though he produced a relatively high number of signed works and influenced followers like Pieter Nason, he occasionally faced financial difficulties. His 1656 Portrait of a Young Woman, Possibly Susanna Reael exemplifies this refined, aristocratic portrait style aimed at the Amsterdam elite.

Overview

The canvas presents a young woman dressed in a dark garment with a crisp white collar, holding a fan and gazing directly at the viewer. Her expression is composed, and her dark eyes convey a steady, calm presence. The work is framed in its original case, which features ornate auricular motifs and floral decoration typical of its period.

Subject & Meaning

The sitter is identified as Susanna Reael, depicted at approximately eighteen years of age. She later married Hiob de Wildt and died at twenty‑five, shortly after the birth of their son David. The portrait captures a moment of youthful poise before her brief adulthood, offering a personal glimpse into the life of a 17th‑century Dutch woman.