3-085-325 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Portrait of Maertgen van Bilderbeecq, 1633. With its oval format, economical composition, and reduced palette, the painting represents a portrait type that Rembrandt repeatedly used for members of the Amsterdam patriciate at the beginning of his time there. The portrait captivates with the immediacy with which the features of the well-nourished young woman are captured. The open brushstrokes convey a sense of vitality. The layering of various precious textiles, such as the lace trim of the cap and the delicate fabric of the millstone collar, testifies to painterly refinement.