Who painted Portrait of a woman?

Portrait of a woman was painted by Pieter Gerritsz. in 1550-01-01.

Where can I see Portrait of a woman?

Portrait of a woman is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Portrait of a woman?

Portrait of a woman is associated with Mannerism.

Can I buy a print of Portrait of a woman?

Museum-quality prints of Portrait of a woman are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Portrait of a woman

Pieter Gerritsz.

Portrait of a woman is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Pieter Gerritsz.. It is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

As a portrait genre piece, the painting focuses entirely on the individual's likeness without additional narrative scenes or allegorical figures.

The work depicts a single female subject, identified in catalog records simply as a woman. As a portrait genre piece, the painting focuses entirely on the individual's likeness without additional narrative scenes or allegorical figures. The composition presents the sitter as the main subject, consistent with the standard iconography of mid-16th-century portraiture from the Northern Low Countries.

No specific symbolic attributes, objects, or deeper allegorical meanings are recorded in the available documentation beyond the representation of the woman herself.

Technique & Style

The portrait is executed in oil paint on a wooden panel, a support typical of mid-sixteenth-century Netherlandish practice. According to the catalogue record, the panel measures 27.5 cm in height by 22.5 cm in width, yielding a small, intimate format suited to private devotional or commemorative display.

Stylistically, the work conforms to the conventions of Northern Low Countries portraiture of the period, presenting a single female sitter as its main subject. The combination of oil medium and panel support allowed for the fine detail and subtle tonal modeling associated with the tradition.

History & Provenance

The painting entered the Rijksmuseum collection as SK-A-2108 with an attribution to Pieter Gerritsz. and a proposed date of 1550, recorded in the museum’s holdings as an anonymous work before the artist’s name was associated.

Its early provenance prior to the twentieth century is undocumented in the cited sources, and no documented commission or original patron is recorded.

Overview

Created around 1550, this oil painting by Pieter Gerritsz. presents a solitary female sitter. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and exemplifies mid‑sixteenth‑century portraiture in the Northern Netherlands. Its modest dimensions and restrained composition focus attention on the figure rather than any elaborate setting.

Context

During the mid‑1500s, Dutch portraiture began to emphasize realism and individual character, moving away from the more stylized medieval conventions. This work reflects that shift, aligning with contemporary trends toward naturalistic lighting and a focus on the sitter’s inner presence rather than elaborate background narratives.