Who painted Portrait of a Woman?

Portrait of a Woman was painted by Hendrick Cornelisz. van Vliet in 1641.

Where can I see Portrait of a Woman?

Portrait of a Woman is held by Hermitage Museum.

What movement is Portrait of a Woman?

Portrait of a Woman is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Can I buy a print of Portrait of a Woman?

Museum-quality prints of Portrait of a Woman are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Portrait of a Woman

Hendrick Cornelisz. van Vliet , 1641

Portrait of a Woman is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Hendrick Cornelisz. van Vliet. It dates from 1641 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum. The work is an oil painting on panel created in 1641 by Dutch painter Hendrick Cornelisz.

About this work

Overview

The work is an oil painting on panel created in 1641 by Dutch painter Hendrick Cornelisz. van Vliet. It is part of the collection of the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg and is displayed in Gallery 249. The composition presents a single female sitter rendered against a dark, indistinct background.

Subject & Meaning

The identity of the woman remains unknown, though an inscription on the lower left indicates she was thirty years old when the portrait was executed. Her attire corresponds to mid‑17th‑century Dutch fashion, supporting the dating and suggesting a portrayal of a contemporary, possibly a member of the bourgeoisie.

Technique & Style

Van Vliet employed a restrained palette, allowing a focused light to illuminate the sitter’s face while the surrounding space recedes into shadow.

Van Vliet employed a restrained palette, allowing a focused light to illuminate the sitter’s face while the surrounding space recedes into shadow. The artist’s handling of the facial features reveals fine, monochrome parallel strokes visible beneath a thinned upper paint layer, a method noted by the museum’s Dutch‑painting curator. Delicate lace on the collar and cuffs is rendered with meticulous attention to texture.

History & Provenance

Since its creation, the painting entered the Hermitage’s holdings, where it has been conserved and studied. Documentation records its presence in the museum’s collection, though earlier ownership details are not recorded in the available sources.

Context

The portrait exemplifies the Dutch Golden Age’s interest in individual likenesses and the use of chiaroscuro to model form. Van Vliet, primarily known for architectural interiors, applied similar light‑and‑shadow techniques here to achieve a three‑dimensional effect on a modestly sized panel.

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Artist & collection

Artist

Hendrick Cornelisz. van Vliet

Hendrick Corneliszoon van Vliet (1611/1612, Delft – buried October 28, 1675, Delft) was a Dutch Golden Age painter remembered mostly for his church interiors.