Artwork
Kenau Simonsdr Hasselaer
Kenau Simonsdr Hasselaer is an oil painting. It dates from 1600 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The oil painting presents a solitary female figure dressed in dark attire, clutching both a sword and a brass cannon.
About this work
The inscription at the bottom reads "Kenau Simons Hasselaer," and the year 1599 is hinted at by the style.
This painting shows a woman in dark clothes, holding a sword and a brass cannon. Her face is serious, framed by a white collar and a dark cap. Behind her is a small landscape with a tower and trees, and a gold-framed arch surrounds the whole scene.
The inscription at the bottom reads "Kenau Simons Hasselaer," and the year 1599 is hinted at by the style. The woman’s grip on the cannon suggests she was someone important in her time.
Look up Kenau Simonsdochter Hasselaer to learn more about her story.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts Kenau Simonsdochter Hasselaer, identified as the main subject of this anonymous portrait created in 1599. As a portrait genre work, the piece focuses on the representation of this specific historical figure rather than illustrating a narrative scene or symbolic allegory. The artwork serves as a visual record of Hasselaer, capturing her likeness through oil paint on a panel support.
No additional iconographic elements or symbolic meanings beyond the portrayal of the sitter itself are indicated in the available records.
Technique & Style
Kenau Simonsdr Hasselaer is executed in oil paint applied to a wooden panel support. The work, dated to 1599, is classified as a portrait depicting the titular subject. The painting measures 34.8 cm in height and 26.5 cm in width.
While the specific handling of the brushwork and current physical condition are not detailed in the provided records, the medium and support are definitively identified as oil on panel.
History & Provenance
The portrait of Kenau Simonsdr Hasselaer is dated 1599 and has been held by the Rijksmuseum, National Art Gallery of the Netherlands since its acquisition as part of the museum’s collection. The work is painted in oil on panel and measures 34.8 cm in height by 26.5 cm in width. It belongs to the portrait genre and depicts the historical figure Kenau Simonsdochter Hasselaer.
No documented commission or creation history beyond its dating and attribution is provided in the sources.
The anonymous oil-on-panel portrait of Kenau Simonsdochter Hasselaer, dated 1599, is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, also known as the National Art Gallery of the Netherlands. The work measures 34.8 cm in height and 26.5 cm in width. The provided sources do not contain specific inventory or accession numbers for the piece, nor do they record any exhibition history.
Overview
The oil painting presents a solitary female figure dressed in dark attire, clutching both a sword and a brass cannon. Her expression is solemn, accentuated by a white collar and a dark cap. The composition is framed by a gilded arch, within which a modest landscape featuring a tower and trees unfolds behind her.
Context
Kenau Hasselaer became a legendary symbol of resistance after the 1573 siege of Haarlem, where contemporary accounts describe her active participation in the city’s defense. Portraits such as this reinforced her status as a civic heroine during a period when the Dutch Republic was asserting its identity.
Legacy
The image contributes to the visual tradition that commemorates women’s roles in early modern warfare. By portraying Hasselaer with martial attributes, the painting helped cement her place in Dutch cultural memory, influencing later artistic and literary representations of her legend.
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