Artwork

Portrait of a woman, possibly a self portrait of Anna Maria van Schurman (1607-1678)

Portrait of a woman, possibly a self portrait of Anna Maria van Schurman (1607-1678) is an oil painting. It dates from 1645 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting shows a woman, identified in the Rijksmuseum record as Anna Maria van Schurman, and is described as a possible self‑portrait.

The painting shows a woman, identified in the Rijksmuseum record as Anna Maria van Schurman, and is described as a possible self‑portrait. Executed as a miniature on copper, the work presents the sitter in a modest, intimate format typical of personal portraiture. By choosing to depict herself in this durable, small‑scale medium, the artist asserts her individual presence and scholarly identity, turning the portrait into a statement of self‑recognition and intellectual stature. The symbolism resides in the act of self‑representation itself and the permanence implied by the copper support.

Technique & Style

Executed in 1645, this work is an oil painting on a copper support. The piece functions as a miniature portrait, characterized by its small scale, measuring 9.5 cm in height and 7.5 cm in width. Created within the Northern Low Countries, the painting depicts a woman, potentially the scholar Anna Maria van Schurman.

The use of copper as a ground was a technique often employed for small-scale works to achieve a smooth, durable surface suitable for fine detail, though specific handling or current condition reports are not detailed in the available records. The composition focuses strictly on the subject, adhering to the conventions of portraiture from this period and region.

History & Provenance

The work is dated 1645 and was produced in the Northern Low Countries, executed in oil on copper as a miniature portrait. Its attribution remains anonymous, and the sitter has been tentatively identified as Anna Maria van Schurman, with the painting also being considered a possible self-portrait by her.

The earliest documented ownership places the work in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it is currently held.

Context

The painting’s reception emerged within a corpus that frames it as a rare self-representation by the seventeenth-century Dutch polymath Anna Maria van Schurman. Scholarship situates the work within her broader intellectual milieu, emphasizing its significance as a visual counterpart to her published verses and philosophical treatises. Its placement in art history reflects a shift toward recognizing women artists who navigated both scholarly discourse and domestic artistic practice in the Dutch Republic.

Overview

The work is a small oval portrait executed on copper, depicting a woman with pale complexion, dark hair concealed by a white cap, and a modest dark collar over a light shirt. A black string is tied at her throat, and the figure is set against an unadorned dark background that emphasizes her face.