3-085-226 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Portrait of a Woman in an Armchair, c1642-1645. The oblique view with the head turned outwards lends spontaneity to this portrait of a lady, who seems to be sitting up in her chair to look in our direction. The millstone ruff, cap, lace-trimmed sleeves and inconspicuous but multiple and varied pieces of jewellery discreetly emphasise the affluence of this self-confident patrician woman. The portrait thus perfectly satisfies the demand for status representation typical of Dutch society at that time.