Artwork

Young Woman with Hands on Hips, Front View

Young Woman with Hands on Hips, Front View, by Israel Henriet, ink, 1626
Young Woman with Hands on Hips, Front View, by Israel Henriet, ink, 1626

Young Woman with Hands on Hips, Front View is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Israel Henriet. It dates from 1626 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Israel Henriet’s 1626 etching presents a solitary female figure viewed from the front. She stands upright, hands placed on her hips, dressed in a loose, flowing gown with a deep V‑neck. A modest head covering falls over her shoulders, and the simple shadow beneath her feet grounds the composition.

Subject & Meaning

The work captures a moment of poised confidence, the gesture of hands on hips suggesting self‑assurance or a modest stance. The plain background focuses attention on the figure’s attire and posture, inviting contemplation of contemporary ideals of femininity and decorum.

Technique & Style

Executed in etching on laid paper, Henriet employed fine incised lines to render the folds of the dress and the delicate contours of the face. The method, typical of the early‑17th‑century printmaking practice, allows precise rendering of texture and subtle tonal variation through varied line density.

History & Provenance

Created in 1626, the print belongs to Henriet’s early oeuvre, a period when Dutch and Flemish artists frequently produced portrait prints for dissemination. The work’s survival on laid paper indicates it was likely part of a limited edition or a personal study, though specific ownership records are not documented.

Context

During the 1620s, etching emerged as a favored medium for depicting everyday subjects with a level of detail unattainable in earlier woodcuts. Henriet’s choice of a solitary female figure aligns with contemporary interests in genre scenes and the representation of modest domestic attire.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Israel Henriet

Artist

Israel Henriet

Israel Henriet (1590–1661) was a French artist, born in Nancy.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.