Artwork
Portrait of a Woman
Portrait of a Woman is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1798 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This small, circular painting depicts a woman seated, her gaze directed outward.
About this work
Overview
This small, circular painting depicts a woman seated, her gaze directed outward. She is dressed in a blue gown accented with red trim and a lace bodice. A dark background provides contrast, while a small white bird rests on a table beside her, adding a subtle detail to the composition. The artwork is presented within a distinctive gold frame with perforations.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is presented in a blue dress featuring a ribbon along the front and seated in a red-backed chair, reflecting contemporary fashion and possibly a domestic context. Her direct gaze engages the viewer, suggesting a formal yet personal encounter. The small white bird on the adjacent table may carry symbolic weight, often representing purity or companionship in portraiture of this era.
Technique & Style
The painting's small, circular format, or tondo, was a favored choice for intimate portraits, complemented by its ornate, perforated gold frame.
The artist utilized a dark, unadorned background to highlight the central figure, a common compositional strategy in portraiture. Intricate details, including the woman's curly hair, the delicate lace bodice, and the texture of her blue dress, are rendered with care. The painting's small, circular format, or tondo, was a favored choice for intimate portraits, complemented by its ornate, perforated gold frame.
Artist & collection
- Portrait of a Woman
Portrait of a Woman
Portrait of a Woman
Portrait of a Woman
Portrait of a Woman
Okänd kvinna som vestal
Portret van een jonge vrouw
A Woman Playing a Harp
Portrait of a Woman Reclining on a Sofa
Frederica Louisa Wilhelmina (1770-1819). Prinses van Oranje-Nassau. Daughter of Willem V & Wilhelmina van Pruisen
Mrs. Charles Willson Peale (Rachel Brewer)
Portrait of a Woman at a Harpsichord
