Artwork
Portrait of a woman
Portrait of a woman is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Pieter Borsseler. It dates from 1664 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
Executed in 1664, this portrait by Pieter Borsseler is an oil painting on canvas. The work measures 113 cm in height and 91 cm in width. As a formal portrait, the composition focuses on an unidentified female subject.
The piece is classified within the genre of portraiture and is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
History & Provenance
The painting is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it remains located.
The portrait was created in 1664 by the artist Pieter Borsseler. Executed in oil paint on canvas, the work depicts an unidentified woman. The painting is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it remains located.
No further details regarding its original commission, specific ownership history prior to its museum acquisition, or the circumstances of its creation are provided in the available records.
Overview
Created in 1664, this oil on canvas presents a seated woman rendered with the restrained elegance typical of mid‑17th‑century Dutch portraiture. The figure occupies the foreground against a dark, unadorned backdrop, her posture upright and her gaze directed toward the viewer, conveying a quiet confidence.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter remains unidentified; she wears a black gown trimmed with a white ruff and a modest cross pendant, suggesting both modesty and social standing. The composition emphasizes her poise and decorum, reflecting the period’s conventions for portraying women of respectable status.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Pieter Borsseler or Pieter Borselaer (1633/1634 Middelburg - in or after 1687, Middelburg) was a Dutch portrait painter who was prominent in England during the second half of the 17th century.
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