Who painted Portrait of a Lady?

Portrait of a Lady was painted by Nicolaes Maes in 1671-01-01.

Where can I see Portrait of a Lady?

Portrait of a Lady is held by Statens Museum for Kunst.

What movement is Portrait of a Lady?

Portrait of a Lady is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Artwork

Portrait of a Lady

Nicolaes Maes , 1671

Portrait of a Lady is an unspecified painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Nicolaes Maes. It dates from 1671 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Technique & Style

Portrait of a Lady is a painting by Nicolaes Maes, classified within the portrait genre and dated to 1671.

Portrait of a Lady is a painting by Nicolaes Maes, classified within the portrait genre and dated to 1671. The work is held by the Statens Museum for Kunst. Its measured dimensions are 445.0 in height by 310.0 in width. The painting depicts an unidentified woman as its main subject.

Beyond these cataloguing details, the available sources do not specify the medium, support, technique, handling, condition, or stylistic qualities of the work, so those aspects cannot be described here.

History & Provenance

The portrait titled Portrait of a Lady was created by the Dutch artist Nicolaes Maes in 1671. This oil painting depicts an unidentified woman and is classified within the portrait genre. The work is currently held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen, where it is cataloged under the inventory number KMS320.

No specific details regarding the original commission, the identity of the sitter, or the intermediate ownership history prior to its arrival at the museum are provided in the available records.

The painting has been in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Denmark, where it is inventoried under the accession number KMS320. It depicts an unidentified woman and was created in 1671 by Nicolaes Maes. No exhibition history is recorded in the available sources.

Overview

In 1671, Dutch artist Nicolaes Maes painted a portrait of an unidentified woman, now part of the collection at Denmark’s Statens Museum for Kunst. The work exemplifies the refined portrait style Maes developed after his early years in Dordrecht and his later prominence as a leading portraitist in Amsterdam during the Dutch Golden Age.

Subject & Meaning

The sitter is presented with a composed demeanor, her dark hair gathered and a modest black dress accented by a crisp white collar and ruffled cuffs. A small ornamental brooch adorns her hair, and her hands rest gently on her chest, suggesting a quiet dignity typical of 17th‑century middle‑class portraiture.

Context

The portrait emerges from a time when Dutch society valued modesty and personal virtue, qualities often conveyed through restrained attire and subdued settings. Maes, having trained under Rembrandt, adapted his mentor’s emphasis on light and texture while catering to the tastes of Amsterdam’s affluent bourgeois clientele.

Artist & collection

Artist

Nicolaes Maes

Nicolaes Maes (January 1634 – December 1693; buried 24 December 1693) was a Dutch painter known for his genre scenes, portraits, religious compositions and the occasional still life.