Portrait of Mary van Hannover (1722-1772)

The portrait is executed in casein paint on a copper support, a combination that yields a smooth, enamel-like surface well suited to finely detailed miniature work. Both the medium and the support are recorded in the work's cataloguing data, which also classifies the object as a painting of the portrait genre.

The copper plate measures 3.5 cm in height by 3 cm in width, making the work a small-format piece. Its production is dated to 1750 and attributed to an anonymous maker working in Germany. The casein-and-copper technique is consistent with mid-eighteenth-century German miniature practice, in which the rigid metal ground allowed for precise, polished handling of features and a luminous finish.

The copper support of the portrait indicates a German origin around mid-century, aligning with the inscribed date of 1750. The painting entered the Rijksmuseum’s holdings as part of an anonymous collection, where it remains located. Its small dimensions (3.5 cm × 3 cm) suggest a private, cabinet-scale work rather than a formal commission, consistent with the intimate portrait genre of the period.

The Portrait of Mary van Hannover (1722–1772) is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The work is cataloged as an anonymous painting executed in casein paint on copper, measuring 3.5 cm in height and 3 cm in width. It was created in Germany around 1750.

The provided sources do not contain specific inventory or accession numbers for the piece, nor do they list any exhibition history.

This 18th-century copper painting portrays Mary van Hannover (1722-1772), a member of the nobility, as indicated by her attire and hairstyle. The subject wears a white dress and headpiece, set against a muted gray background, with a subtle, enigmatic smile.

Created within the 18th-century European aristocratic context, the portrait reflects the era's aesthetic values and the social status of its subject, aligning with the Rococo's emphasis on luxury and intimacy.