Artwork

Portrait of Cornelia Pietersdr. ( ....-....)

Portrait of Cornelia Pietersdr. ( ....-....), by Cornelis Engebrechtsz., oil, 1518
Portrait of Cornelia Pietersdr. ( ....-....), by Cornelis Engebrechtsz., oil, 1518

Portrait of Cornelia Pietersdr. ( ....-....) is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Cornelis Engebrechtsz.. It dates from 1518 and is held in the collection of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. Created in 1518, this oil painting depicts a seated woman framed by an urban landscape.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1518, this oil painting depicts a seated woman framed by an urban landscape. She wears a white head covering and dark garments, holding a strand of red beads. The background shows a river flanked by buildings, giving the composition a sense of spatial depth. The work is attributed to Cornelis Engebrechtsz., an early Dutch painter active in Leiden.

Subject & Meaning

The figure is identified as Cornelia Pietersdr., presented with modest yet refined attire that signals her social standing. The white headscarf and black clothing reflect contemporary modesty, while the red beads she cradles may allude to personal adornment or a symbolic gesture of wealth and taste within a domestic setting.

Technique & Style

Executed in oil on panel, the portrait combines meticulous modeling of the sitter’s features with a relatively flat treatment of the surrounding cityscape. Engebrechtsz. employs a restrained palette, using chiaroscuro to model the woman's face and hands, while the background is rendered with broader, less detailed brushwork typical of early Northern Renaissance portraiture.

History & Provenance

The painting forms part of the collection of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. Cornelis Engebrechtsz., recognized as Leiden’s first notable painter, taught several local artists, including his son and the later celebrated Lucas van Leyden. The work’s provenance traces back to the artist’s workshop before entering the Belgian national collection.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Cornelis Engebrechtsz.

Artist

Cornelis Engebrechtsz.

Cornelis Engebrechtsz., also known as Cornelis Engelbrechtsz. (c.1462–1527) was an early Dutch painter. He was born and died in Leiden, and is considered the first important painter from that city. Engebrechtsz. taught…