Artwork
Portrait of a Woman
Portrait of a Woman is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Michael Dahl. It dates from 1719 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
It was created using oil paint, a medium typical of early 18th‑century European portraiture, and is classified as a painting.
Portrait of a Woman (1719) is an oil painting executed on canvas by Michael Dahl. The work measures 196.2 cm in height by 131.4 cm in width and belongs to the portrait genre. It was created using oil paint, a medium typical of early 18th‑century European portraiture, and is classified as a painting.
The composition presents a realistic depiction of a seated woman, reflecting the stylistic conventions of the period. The painting is part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is preserved and displayed.
History & Provenance
The Portrait of a Woman was painted by Michael Dahl in 1719, executed in oil on canvas. According to the available records, the work is now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection in New York. The painting measures approximately 196.2 cm in height and 131.4 cm in width.
The sources do not document any earlier owners or commission details, so the provenance prior to its acquisition by the Met remains unspecified.
The 1719 oil painting Portrait of a Woman by Michael Dahl is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work, which depicts a female subject on canvas, is located at the museum's premises. While the piece is cataloged within the institution's holdings, the available records do not specify a unique accession number or detail any past exhibitions in which the portrait has been displayed.
Context
Michael Dahl's 1719 oil portrait, titled Portrait of a Woman, exemplifies early 18th‑century portraiture through its formal composition and restrained palette. The work, executed in oil on canvas (196.2 × 131.4 cm), portrays an unidentified sitter and adheres to the genre conventions documented in contemporary artistic practice. Held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the painting is catalogued as a portrait and is frequently referenced in scholarship as representative of Dahl’s contribution to the evolution of portraiture in Britain.
Its provenance is traced to the museum’s collection, underscoring its significance within the artist’s oeuvre and the broader narrative of portrait painting during the period.
Overview
This oil painting, Portrait of a Woman, was created by the Swedish artist Michael Dahl in 1719. It exemplifies the Rococo movement, a style known for its decorative and elegant qualities. The work is currently housed in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, representing Dahl's significant contribution to portraiture during his active period in England.
Subject & Meaning
The painting features a woman seated on a bench, dressed in a yellow gown with a white ruffled collar and a green shawl draped over her head and shoulders. She holds a small, indistinct object in her right hand, while a dog rests at her side. A classical column and a basket of flowers populate the background, contributing to the formal and composed nature of the portrait.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Michael Dahl (1656/1659 – 20 October 1743) was a Swedish painter who specialised in portrait painting and spent most of his career in England.
- Portrait of a Woman
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Portrait of a Woman
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