Artifact World Gallery
Get the iOS app

Isabella by Simon Maris

Simon Maris · 1895-01-01

Simon Maris’s "Isabella," painted in 1906, is a quietly remarkable work in the Rijksmuseum's collection in Amsterdam. While it sold for a modest sum when first acquired, its significance has grown over time, making it a treasured piece today.

The portrait presents a lone woman, elegantly dressed in a capote and gown, holding a delicate fan. Maris’s skill is evident in the detailed rendering of her attire and the composed expression on her face.

Born in 1873, Simon Maris followed in the footsteps of his father, landscape painter Willem Maris, becoming a noted portrait artist. "Isabella" stands as a testament to his sensitive portrayal of individuals, offering a unique glimpse into early 20th-century Dutch society through the eyes of a skilled painter.

What details do you find most compelling in this portrait?

Details

She wears a capote, a fashionable hat of the era.
She wears a capote, a fashionable hat of the era.
But look closely at her hands, and the delicate fan.
But look closely at her hands, and the delicate fan.
The artist, Simon Maris, was known for his portraiture.
The artist, Simon Maris, was known for his portraiture.
The eyes carry quiet dignity and self-possession; in a painting where the sitter's race was unusual in Dutch portraiture, the gaze is a locus of psychological power.
The eyes carry quiet dignity and self-possession; in a painting where the sitter's race was unusual in Dutch portraiture, the gaze is a locus of psychological power.
The layered fabric textures , lace over satin , demonstrate Maris's painterly skill and place the sitter firmly in bourgeois fashion of the era.
The layered fabric textures , lace over satin , demonstrate Maris's painterly skill and place the sitter firmly in bourgeois fashion of the era.
Transcript

This portrait of 'Isabella' sold for a modest sum in 1906. She wears a capote, a fashionable hat of the era. But look closely at her hands, and the delicate fan. The artist, Simon Maris, was known for his portraiture. Today, Isabella is valued for its unique place in Dutch art history. She is a striking and singular presence in the Rijksmuseum.