A Woman was painted by Jan Mostaert in 1525-01-01.

Where can I see A Woman?

A Woman is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is A Woman?

A Woman is associated with Northern Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of A Woman?

Museum-quality prints of A Woman are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

A Woman by Jan Mostaert (1525) · Meaning, Museum & Prints

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The restrained palette and careful attention to textile detail emphasize individual likeness and social standing rather than narrative or allegory.

The painting portrays a woman in a three-quarter view against a dark background, typical of Northern Renaissance portraiture. Her attire includes a white headdress and a dark dress with a fur-trimmed collar, suggesting high social status or wealth. The restrained palette and careful attention to textile detail emphasize individual likeness and social standing rather than narrative or allegory.

The absence of overt symbolic props or religious attributes positions the work as a secular portrait focused on identity and social identity within early sixteenth-century Haarlem.

History & Provenance

The work is dated to around 1525 based on scholarly and institutional records.

It has been held by the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam since at least the early 20th century, where it remains in the permanent collection. The painting was produced in Haarlem, aligning with Jan Mostaert’s documented activity in that city during the 1520s. Its early history and original commission are not specified in available sources.

Jan Mostaert's painting A Woman (1525) is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The work is located in hall 0.6 of the museum and is executed in oil paint on panel. While the specific inventory or accession number is not provided in the available records, the painting has been documented in exhibition history, specifically appearing in the "Remember Me" exhibition.

Context

Jan Mostaert painted A Woman in 1525, an oil portrait depicting a woman held in the Rijksmuseum collection. The work measures 64.3 cm by 49.5 cm and was created in Haarlem, reflecting Northern Renaissance portraiture conventions. It is cataloged as a portrait genre piece within the artist's oeuvre and has been featured in exhibitions such as 'Remember Me'.

Overview

Created in 1525 by Dutch painter Jan Mostaert, this oil on canvas presents a solitary female figure set against an expansive landscape. The work belongs to the Northern Renaissance period and is part of the Rijksmuseum’s permanent collection, illustrating the artist’s skill in portraiture beyond his more common religious commissions.

Technique & Style

Mostert employs the fine glazing typical of early 16th‑century oil painting, allowing subtle transitions of light across the fabrics and skin. The delicate rendering of textures, fur, metal, and cloth, demonstrates his attention to material detail. The background landscape, with a blue sky, distant rocks, trees, water, and animals, is rendered in a softened, atmospheric manner that frames the figure without competing for attention.

Artist & collection

Artist

Jan Mostaert

Jan Mostaert (c. 1475 – 1552/1553) was a Dutch Renaissance painter who is known mainly for his religious subjects and portraits. One of his most famous creations was the Landscape with an Episode from the Conquest of…