Who painted Portrait of a Woman?

Portrait of a Woman was painted by Thomas Forster in 1701-01-01.

Where can I see Portrait of a Woman?

Portrait of a Woman is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Portrait of a Woman?

Portrait of a Woman is associated with Rococo painting.

Artwork

Portrait of a Woman

Thomas Forster , 1701

Portrait of a Woman is an unspecified painting by the Rococo painting artist Thomas Forster. It dates from 1701 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The work is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, underscoring its institutional recognition as a historical portrait.

The painting titled Portrait of a Woman, created by Thomas Forster in 1701, portrays an unidentified female sitter rendered in the conventional format of an 18th‑century portrait. According to the documented description, the main subject is simply “woman,” indicating that the work functions as a straightforward representation of a female figure rather than an allegorical or symbolic narrative. No specific iconographic attributes or symbolic elements are recorded, so the meaning of the piece rests on its role as a portrait that signifies the presence and status of the sitter within the artistic practice of the period.

The work is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, underscoring its institutional recognition as a historical portrait.

History & Provenance

Portrait of a Woman was created by Thomas Forster in 1701. The painting entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is catalogued under accession number 44.36.1. The sources do not provide further details regarding the circumstances of its commission, the identity of any original patron, intermediate ownership, or acquisition history prior to its arrival at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Portrait of a Woman by Thomas Forster is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Its accession identifier, as recorded in the museum’s collection database, is 44.36.1. The work is catalogued as a painting and a portrait, created in 1701, and its dimensions are 107 cm by 82 cm. Exhibition records are not mentioned in the consulted documentation, indicating that the piece has not been listed in publicly documented exhibitions within the sources provided.

Overview

Thomas Forster's "Portrait of a Woman," created in 1701, presents an oval depiction of an unidentified female sitter. This painting, now housed at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, captures a woman with light, softly curled hair, adorned in a high-necked dress featuring lace trim. The composition deliberately focuses on her upper body, set against an unadorned background, emphasizing her individual presence and the stylistic elements of early 18th-century attire.

Technique & Style

Forster employed subtle shading to render the sitter's features with a gentle, three-dimensional quality, giving depth to her face and the fabric of her dress. The edges of her hair and attire are softly blended, allowing them to merge smoothly with the background. This technique contributes to the portrait's overall softness and helps to maintain a concentrated focus on the woman, enhancing the sense of her presence within the frame.