Artwork
Portret van een vrouw
Portret van een vrouw is an ivory painting by Richard Collins. It dates from 1805 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
As a painted miniature, the piece utilizes the smooth surface of the ivory to render the likeness of a woman.
Created in 1805 by Richard Collins, this portrait is executed on an ivory support. The work measures 8.5 cm in height and 7.3 cm in width. As a painted miniature, the piece utilizes the smooth surface of the ivory to render the likeness of a woman.
The classification of the object is a painting, specifically within the portrait genre, relying on the specific handling of pigments applied directly to the organic material.
History & Provenance
The miniature portrait of a woman was created by Richard Collins in 1805, executed on ivory. It depicts a woman and is classified as a portrait painting. The work is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it remains located.
No further details regarding its commission, intermediate ownership, or chain of custody prior to the museum's acquisition are documented in the available sources.
The painting is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Its inventory number is SK-A-1247.
The work has been featured in several exhibitions. In 2016, it was displayed at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam as part of "Dutch Drawings: A Selection from the Rijksmuseum Collection." It was also exhibited in 2019 at the same venue for "Miniatures: Great Art on a Small Scale."
Overview
Created in 1805 by English miniaturist Richard Collins, this intimate portrait presents a young woman rendered on a small ivory substrate. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and exemplifies the delicate, portable portraiture popular among the upper middle class in the early nineteenth century.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is shown with light brown hair gathered behind her head, a blue ribbon tied beneath her chin, and a veil that frames her face. She wears a pale dress accented by a fur‑trimmed shawl, conveying modest elegance. Her calm, slightly distant gaze suggests a private, perhaps commemorative, purpose rather than a narrative scene.
Context
Miniature portraits on ivory were fashionable in the Napoleonic era, serving as personal mementos or tokens of affection. Collins, known for his precise rendering of facial expressions, catered to this market, and the work reflects contemporary tastes for refined, subdued coloration and intimate scale.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Richard Collins was an English painter who specialised in portrait miniature.
