Artwork
Portret van een vrouw, vermoedelijk Christiane Charlotte van Württemberg (1694-1729)
Portret van een vrouw, vermoedelijk Christiane Charlotte van Württemberg (1694-1729) is an ivory painting by the Rococo painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1720 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Carved from a single piece of ivory, this intimate portrait presents a young woman in half‑length view.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
4 cm, the work belongs to the miniature portrait tradition, a format prized for intimate, personal keepsakes exchanged among aristocratic families.
The portrait depicts Christiane Charlotte van Württemberg (1694–1729), a noblewoman of the early eighteenth century. Rendered in ivory at the exceptionally small scale of 2.8 × 2.4 cm, the work belongs to the miniature portrait tradition, a format prized for intimate, personal keepsakes exchanged among aristocratic families. The identification as Christiane Charlotte is tentative ("vermoedelijk"), reflecting the challenges of attribution surrounding anonymous court portraiture of this era. The ivory support itself carries connotations of refinement and rarity, signaling the sitter's elite status.
Technique & Style
The portrait is painted on an ivory support, measuring 2.8 cm in height by 2.4 cm in width, consistent with the miniature format of the period. Handling is delicate, reflecting the fine brushwork typical of ivory miniatures, which required precise execution due to the support’s small scale and translucency. Stylistically, the work adheres to early eighteenth-century portrait conventions, emphasizing refined facial features and restrained elegance to convey the sitter’s status and character.
History & Provenance
The ivory portrait, created in 1720 in Germany, depicts a woman identified as Christiane Charlotte van Württemberg (1694–1729). The work is attributed to an anonymous artist and measures 2.8 cm in height and 2.4 cm in width. It is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
The specific circumstances regarding the original commission, the identity of the patron, or the detailed chain of ownership prior to its arrival at the museum are not documented in the available records.
The painting is housed in the Rijksmuseum collection in Amsterdam. Its accession identifier is SK-A-2476. The work has been part of the museum's exhibition "Dutch and Flemish Portraits from the 17th and 18th Centuries," which was on display from 2018 through 2019.
Overview
Carved from a single piece of ivory, this intimate portrait presents a young woman in half‑length view. The figure is rendered with soft modeling, her pale complexion and light hair subtly highlighted against a muted blue garment that bears a faint red accent at the shoulder. The work measures only a few centimeters, emphasizing its delicate, personal nature.
Artist & collection
