Portrait of a Lady (second wife of Sebastiaen van Leerse)

Van Dyck’s handling of oil demonstrates his mastery of chiaroscuro, using deep shadows to model the figure while allowing the lace collar and cuffs to catch subtle light. The brushwork combines smooth flesh tones with more textured treatment of fabric, reflecting the influence of his earlier apprenticeship with Peter Paul Rubens.

After its completion, the portrait entered the collection of the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, where it remains on display. The painting’s provenance traces back to the van Leerse family, and its presence in a major German museum underscores the artist’s lasting appeal across European collections.

Created during van Dyck’s early period in Antwerp, the portrait predates his appointment as court painter in England. It exemplifies the Flemish Baroque emphasis on dignified portraiture, balancing realistic detail with a sense of aristocratic poise that would later characterize his English court commissions.