Portrait of a Lady

An elegantly dressed young lady gazes out at us from her poised, seated posture. Although art historians have not been able to identify her, there is no doubt as to her social standing.

From her feast-day dress to the luxurious Oriental carpet on the table, every detail in the picture points unmistakably to the sitter’s wealth.

The lady’s rich satin dress forms a sumptuous backdrop, highlighting the warm tones of her protruding face and hands.

Her fashionable – and expensive – wide lace collar and cuffs are radiant against the dark dress.

The shining gold brocade of the bodice flows beautifully into the gold of the sleeve ties.

Rings, pearls, golden chains, and an egret feather complete her festive outfit.

This picture may even be the sitter’s wedding portrait. Her age and her splendid clothes, as well as a pendant portrait of a young gentleman, today in the Louvre, all suggest such a conclusion.

The assertion of prestige evident in this painting is typical of the Amsterdam style of portraiture. The artist, Thomas de Keyser (1596–1667), was the son and pupil of Hendrick de Keyser (1565–1621), a master of courtly portraiture.

Inspired by Frans Hals (c.1580/85–1666), then working in Haarlem, Thomas de Keyser loosened the conventions of traditional portraiture.

He depicted his subjects as both individuals and representatives of social classes. The portrait of a lady is a particularly fine example of this approach.