Artwork

Portrait of a 62-year-old Woman, possibly Aeltje Pietersdr Uylenburgh

Portrait of a 62-year-old Woman, possibly Aeltje Pietersdr Uylenburgh is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Rembrandt van Rijn. It dates from 1632 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. Created in 1632, this oil painting on panel presents an elderly woman in an oval composition.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1632, this oil painting on panel presents an elderly woman in an oval composition. The work is part of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston’s collection and is attributed to Rembrandt. The sitter, thought to be Aeltje Pietersdr Uylenburgh, appears at the age of sixty‑two, offering a dignified portrait typical of the artist’s early Dutch period.

Subject & Meaning

The portrait depicts a woman of mature age, dressed in a dark gown with a modest white millstone collar and a modest cap covering her hair. Her calm, direct gaze and serene expression convey a sense of personal dignity and social standing, suggesting she belonged to a family of some means in the early seventeenth‑century Netherlands.

Technique & Style

Executed in oil on panel, the painting employs a restrained palette and subtle chiaroscuro, allowing light to illuminate the face and hands against a dark, unadorned background. Soft brushwork renders the skin’s texture, while the crisp detailing of the collar and cap highlights Rembrandt’s early skill in balancing realism with a quiet, introspective mood.

History & Provenance

The work has been documented as part of Rembrandt’s output from the early 1630s and entered the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, through acquisition in the twentieth century. Its attribution to Rembrandt rests on stylistic analysis and provenance records linking it to the artist’s circle and to the possible identification of the sitter as Aeltje Pietersdr Uylenburgh.