Artwork
Portrait of a woman (1548)
Portrait of a woman (1548) is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Catarina van Hemessen. It dates from 1548 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Created in 1548, this oil painting presents a seated woman before a plain, dark backdrop.
About this work
She wears a black dress with a high collar and a dark head covering, holding her hands together in front of her.
A woman stands against a dark, plain background. She wears a black dress with a high collar and a dark head covering, holding her hands together in front of her. A bright red string hangs from her neck. Her face is pale with light eyes, and the brushwork shows fine details in her hair and clothing.
The artist signed the painting in the top right corner with her name and the year 1548. This is one of the earliest known portraits painted by a woman artist.
Look up Catarina van Hemessen to see more of her work.
Overview
Created in 1548, this oil painting presents a seated woman before a plain, dark backdrop. She is dressed in a black gown with a high collar, a modest head covering, and a vivid red string at her throat. Her hands are clasped in front of her, and her pale complexion and light eyes are rendered with meticulous detail.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is identified as the artist herself, Catarina van Hemessen, a rare example of a woman portraying her own likeness in the mid‑sixteenth century. The composition’s restrained elegance and the subtle emphasis on modest attire reflect contemporary ideals of female virtue and self‑presentation.
Technique & Style
Executed in fine oil layers, the work exhibits the Northern Renaissance’s attention to texture and surface. Delicate brushstrokes capture the sheen of the black fabric, the softness of the hair, and the crispness of the red string, while the muted background heightens the figure’s presence.
History & Provenance
Signed by van Hemessen in the upper right with her name and the date, the portrait is among the earliest surviving works by a female Flemish painter. It entered the Rijksmuseum’s collection, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings of Northern Renaissance art.
Context
Catarina van Hemessen is recognized as the first Flemish woman artist whose signed works have survived. Her career, concentrated in the late 1540s and early 1550s, focused on intimate portraiture of women, a genre that allowed her to navigate the gendered constraints of the period while demonstrating professional skill.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Caterina or Catharina van Hemessen (1528 – after 1565) was a Flemish Renaissance painter.
