Artwork
Portret van een vrouw
Portret van een vrouw is an ivory painting. It dates from 1805 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. This work is a modestly sized, oval portrait executed in carved ivory.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting shows an unnamed woman wearing a single earring, a motif that often signified personal identity or marital status in early‑19th‑century portraiture. Rendered on ivory and housed in the Rijksmuseum, the work exemplifies the genre of the portrait and reflects the cultural emphasis on individual likeness during the Northern Low Countries period of 1805.
Technique & Style
The painting is executed on a thin panel of ivory, measuring 7 cm in height by 5.5 cm in width. It depicts a woman wearing an earring, rendered in a realistic yet delicate style characteristic of early 19th‑century portraiture. The work belongs to the portrait genre and was created in the Northern Low Countries in 1805.
Legacy
Its attribution to the early 19th century and material medium have contributed to scholarly discussions of Dutch portraiture during that period.
The portrait's legacy is anchored in its inclusion in the Rijksmuseum collection, where it is recognized as an anonymous work from the Northern Low Countries painted in 1805 on ivory. Its attribution to the early 19th century and material medium have contributed to scholarly discussions of Dutch portraiture during that period. The painting's representation of a woman wearing an earring continues to inform studies of gender and adornment in historical art.
Overview
This work is a modestly sized, oval portrait executed in carved ivory. The figure is a woman presented in a frontal pose, her hair gathered and styled with gentle curls that frame her face. She is dressed in a simple garment accented with lace at the neckline and wears pearl earrings, set against an unadorned background that draws attention to her composed expression.
History & Provenance
Ivory was a costly material in the period of the work’s creation, indicating that the piece was likely commissioned for a person of means or particular significance. No specific documentation of the artist or original owner is recorded, leaving its early ownership uncertain.
Artist & collection
