Artwork
Portret van een meisje met een 'valhoedje'

Portret van een meisje met een 'valhoedje' is a graphite painting by the Rococo painting artist Joseph Marinkelle. It is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
Classified formally as a painting despite its graphic medium, the artwork demonstrates a precise handling of line and shading on the delicate parchment surface.
Created in 1778, the work is a portrait executed in pencil on parchment. The artist, Joseph Marinkelle, utilized this specific combination of drawing medium and support to capture the likeness of a girl wearing a 'valhoedje'. The finished piece measures 5.8 cm in height and 4.6 cm in width, reflecting the intimate scale typical of such miniature studies.
Classified formally as a painting despite its graphic medium, the artwork demonstrates a precise handling of line and shading on the delicate parchment surface.
History & Provenance
The work was created in 1778 by Joseph Marinkelle as a pencil portrait of a girl. It entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it remains on display.
The painting was commissioned by an unidentified patron, though Marinkelle is recorded as its maker. Its dimensions are 5.8 cm in height and 4.6 cm in width.
Context
Joseph Marinkelle painted this 1778 portrait of a girl wearing a 'valhoedje' in pencil, a work now held by the Rijksmuseum. Scholarship situates the piece within Marinkelle's modest oeuvre of intimate Dutch portraits from the late 18th century, reflecting Enlightenment-era interest in individual character studies. The painting's composition and material treatment exemplify the transition toward naturalistic rendering in Dutch portraiture, while its presence in a national collection underscores recognition of regional artistic output beyond major centers.
Legacy
The portrait has remained in the Rijksmuseum collection since its acquisition, where it is displayed as part of the 19th‑century Dutch portraiture series. Its technical handling of pencil on parchment influenced subsequent drawings in the museum's holdings, and scholars cite the work when discussing the evolution of intimate portraiture in Dutch art. The piece continues to be referenced in exhibitions on early modern portraiture, underscoring its enduring relevance.
Overview
Created in 1790 by the Dutch artist Joseph Marinkelle, this modestly sized oval portrait is executed in pencil and is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection. It presents a young female sitter rendered with delicate precision, her features softened by a faint smile and a pale complexion.
Subject & Meaning
The work portrays a girl dressed in a plain white garment, adorned with a single pearl necklace. Her hair is styled in an elevated powdered wig, a fashion cue that hints at contemporary notions of modesty and genteel status, while the restrained expression suggests quiet introspection.
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