Who painted Portrait of an unknown woman aged 28 year?

Portrait of an unknown woman aged 28 year was painted by Hieronymus van Kessel in 1618.

Where can I see Portrait of an unknown woman aged 28 year?

Portrait of an unknown woman aged 28 year is held by Bavarian State Painting Collections.

What movement is Portrait of an unknown woman aged 28 year?

Portrait of an unknown woman aged 28 year is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Artwork

Portrait of an unknown woman aged 28 year

Hieronymus van Kessel , 1618

Portrait of an unknown woman aged 28 year is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Hieronymus van Kessel. It dates from 1618 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.

About this work

Overview

Hieronymus van Kessel’s oil painting, dated 1618, portrays a woman whose age is recorded as twenty‑eight. The work is part of the collection of the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. Rendered in monochrome tones, the portrait presents the sitter in elaborate attire against an unadorned dark backdrop, drawing the viewer’s attention to her features and accessories.

Subject & Meaning

The identity of the woman remains unknown, but the inclusion of a delicate fan and a wrist chain suggests a status of modest wealth or courtly affiliation. The stiff white collar and patterned dark dress indicate contemporary fashion of the early seventeenth century, while the plain background emphasizes the individual’s presence over any narrative setting.

Technique & Style

Van Kessel employs a chiaroscuro approach, using strong contrasts of light and shadow to model the face, collar, and metallic chain. The illumination highlights the texture of the fabric’s intricate pattern and the smoothness of the fan, while deeper shadows give the composition a three‑dimensional quality despite the limited palette.

History & Provenance

Created in 1618, the portrait entered the Alte Pinakothek’s holdings at an unspecified date, where it has been displayed as part of the museum’s Baroque collection. No documented ownership before its acquisition by the museum is recorded, and the work has remained in the institution’s care, contributing to its representation of early Dutch portraiture.