Artwork
Portrait of a Lady (Possibly Hannah Stillman)
Portrait of a Lady (Possibly Hannah Stillman) is an oil painting by the Baroque artist Pieter Vanderlyn. It dates from 1725 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
While formerly attributed to Pieter Vanderlyn, the piece is now classified within the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Created in 1725, this portrait is executed in oil paint on a canvas support. The work measures approximately 74.9 cm in height and 62.2 cm in width. Stylistically, it adheres to the portrait genre, depicting a woman accompanied by a flower.
While formerly attributed to Pieter Vanderlyn, the piece is now classified within the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The handling of the medium captures the sitter in a formal composition typical of early 18th-century portraiture, utilizing the durability and texture of oil on canvas to render the subject's features and the floral element.
History & Provenance
Portrait of a Lady (Possibly Hannah Stillman) is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection, specifically listed under The American Wing. The work is recorded as an oil on canvas portrait dating to 1725, with dimensions of 74.9 × 62.2 cm, and is classified as a portrait depicting a woman with a flower. Its presence in the museum’s catalogue places it within the institution’s permanent holdings, though no explicit accession or inventory number is supplied in the available documentation. The sources do not mention any documented exhibition history for the piece.
Context
Created in 1725, this oil-on-canvas portrait by Pieter Vanderlyn represents a significant example of early American portraiture housed within the Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing. The work, measuring approximately 75 by 62 centimeters, depicts a woman holding a flower, a motif common in portraiture of the era. While the subject is identified as possibly Hannah Stillman, the painting's attribution has undergone scholarly review, with records indicating it was formerly attributed to Vanderlyn.
This uncertainty reflects broader complexities in tracing the careers of early American artists and the evolution of connoisseurship regarding colonial-era works. The piece remains a key artifact for understanding the stylistic conventions and material practices of North American painting in the first quarter of the eighteenth century.
Overview
Pieter Vanderlyn's Portrait of a Lady (Possibly Hannah Stillman), painted in 1725, is an oil on canvas work representing an early example of portraiture in the American colonies. It features a woman in a dark dress, holding a single pink rose, a detail that offers the only clue to her potential identity. The painting's simple composition and subdued palette reflect the artistic environment of the Hudson Valley during this period.
Subject & Meaning
The subject of this portrait is an unidentified woman, whose dark attire contrasts with the delicate lace of her collar and cuffs. Her gaze is direct, and she holds a pink rose close to her chest. This solitary flower is the only vibrant color in the composition and serves as the sole symbolic element, potentially hinting at the sitter's name or personal significance, though her full identity remains unconfirmed.
Artist & collection
Artist
Pieter Vanderlyn was born in Holland around 1687 and served with the Dutch navy off the coast of Africa before emigrating to colonial New York, likely via Curaçao, around 1718.
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Portrait of a Lady
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