Who painted Isabella?

Isabella was painted by Simon Maris in 1895-01-01.

Where can I see Isabella?

Isabella is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Isabella?

Isabella is associated with Impressionism.

Can I buy a print of Isabella?

Museum-quality prints of Isabella are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Isabella by Simon Maris (1895) · Meaning, Museum & Prints

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The fan, jewelry, and rich attire signify femininity, refinement, and social status, while the mirror invites contemplation of identity.

The painting portrays a twelve‑year‑old girl named Isabella, depicted as a young Black woman in a studio portrait. She sits in a wooden armchair whose armrests are carved with goat heads, wearing a sumptuous blue‑green dress, a white‑red bonnet (or lace hat), and jewelry, a golden bracelet on her left arm and a ring on her finger. In her right hand she holds a folding fan, while her left hand touches the fan's golden tassel.

A mirror behind her reflects the back of her bonnet and dress, adding a layer of self‑reflection. The fan, jewelry, and rich attire signify femininity, refinement, and social status, while the mirror invites contemplation of identity. The work's title history, originally "Isabella (negress)," later "Young Woman with a Fan," and restored to "Isabella", underscores how the subject's race and representation have been central to its meaning.

Technique & Style

Isabella is an oil-on-canvas portrait measuring 41 by 29 cm, executed on a relatively small scale suited to intimate studio portraiture. The composition centers on a twelve-year-old sitter posed within Maris's studio at 498 Keizersgracht, Amsterdam, seated in a cushioned wooden armchair distinguished by carved goat-head terminals at the armrests. Handling is detailed and descriptive: the artist renders the fabric of a sumptuous blue and green dress with notable precision, alongside the white and red bonnet, a folding fan with its golden tassel, and jewelry including a golden bracelet and ring.

A mirror in the background reflects the rear view of the bonnet and dress, extending the spatial depth of the small panel. Contemporary commentary praised the work's distinguished coloring and the fine painting of the costume and fan, indicating a polished, academic-realist finish.

History & Provenance

The work titled Isabella was painted by Simon Maris, a Dutch portraitist, in 1898. It is an oil‑on‑canvas portrait measuring 41 × 29 cm and depicts a twelve‑year‑old girl identified as Isabella, posed in Maris' studio at Keizersgracht 498, Amsterdam. The painting entered the Rijksmuseum collection in Amsterdam, where it has remained in the museum's permanent display, and is catalogued as a portrait.

The specific inventory or accession number is not provided in the available documentation. The artwork has been included in the exhibition "Black is beautiful: Rubens to Dumas." The piece has undergone several title changes within the museum's collection: it was formerly known under a racialized title, then revised to "Young Woman with a Fan" in 2015, before being officially renamed "Isabella" in 2020 following the discovery of a 1907 letter from the artist.

Context

Simon Maris painted Isabella (also called Young Woman with a Fan) in 1898; the 41 × 29 cm oil on canvas portrait depicts a twelve‑year‑old girl identified as Isabella, posed in the artist's Amsterdam studio. The work belongs to the Rijksmuseum and was featured in the exhibition "Black is beautiful: Rubens to Dumas." Contemporary reception described the sitter and praised the rendering of fabric and fan.

Scholars have noted the contested naming history, leading to the 2020 reinstatement of the title "Isabella" after the museum's renaming review. Within Maris's oeuvre the painting illustrates his focus on intimate portraiture and his engagement with contemporary debates on representation.

Legacy

The painting's legacy is shaped by its evolving title and the broader debate over representation in Dutch museum collections. Originally given a racialized title, it was later retitled "Young Woman with a Fan" and finally restored to the artist's intended name "Isabella" in 2020 after archival research revealed the 1907 inscription "Isabella (negress)." This renaming coincided with the Rijksmuseum's 2015 initiative to reassess thousands of works for racial sensitivity, placing the piece at the center of discussions about colonial-era portraiture and cultural sensitivity.

The work has been exhibited in shows such as "Black is beautiful: Rubens to Dumas" and is documented in both English‑ and German‑language sources, underscoring its continued relevance in scholarly and public discourse on art history and identity.

Overview

Simon Maris completed the oil painting Isabella, also known by the title Young Woman with a Fan, in 1906. This portrait, depicting a solitary female figure, is a notable piece within the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Netherlands, where it is currently displayed.

Artist & collection

Artist

Simon Maris

Simon Willem Maris (May 21, 1873 – January 22, 1935) was a Dutch painter best known as a portrait artist. He was the son of Dutch landscape painter Willem Maris of the Hague School.