Portrait of a Woman
- Catalog
- WD-012
- Artist
- Willem Drost
- Year
- 1653
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- 95 × 78 cm
- Location
- Museum Bredius, The Hague
Description
A dignified portrait of a woman of the Dutch burgher class. The sitter's serene expression and elaborate costume reflect the prosperity of the Dutch Golden Age.
Analysis
The careful detailing of lace, jewelry, and fabric demonstrates Drost's ability to render luxury materials. The sitter's composed expression and dignified posture reflect the values of Dutch bourgeois society in the mid-17th century.
Historical Context
1653 was the year the Dutch standardized their naval tactics with the Sailing and Fighting Instructions, changing the course of naval warfare. On the art market, Rembrandt was struggling despite his fame — he borrowed 4,180 guilders from Jan Six that year. Drost, aged about 20, was producing some of his finest early portraits. The sitter's elaborate costume reflects contemporary Dutch fashion, with the characteristic lace collars and fine fabrics that signified bourgeois status.