Artwork
Portrait of a Lady with a Fan
Portrait of a Lady with a Fan is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Unknown. It dates from 1640 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister. The work is an oil painting that presents a solitary female sitter.
About this work
Overview
The work is an oil painting that presents a solitary female sitter. She is dressed in a dark gown trimmed with a white lace collar and cuffs, and she holds an elaborately decorated fan in her right hand while her left hand rests on her hip. A dark background isolates the figure, emphasizing her presence.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait depicts a woman with a composed, serious expression, her gaze directed straight ahead. A bracelet adorns her right wrist, and the fan she holds suggests a gesture of refinement or status. The restrained demeanor and formal attire convey a sense of dignity typical of portraiture intended to convey the sitter’s social standing.
Technique & Style
The artist employs chiaroscuro, contrasting illuminated areas of the face, dress, and fan against a deep, shadowed backdrop. This manipulation of light creates a three‑dimensional effect, modeling the forms and lending the composition a dramatic depth. The precise rendering of lace and the intricate fan design demonstrate a meticulous handling of oil paint.
Context
Executed in a period when portraiture often served to document identity and rank, the painting reflects the conventions of formal representation. The use of strong light‑dark contrasts aligns with broader Baroque tendencies, while the focus on textile detail and accessories underscores the importance of material culture in conveying personal prestige.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
Portrait of a Lady
Bildnis einer älteren Dame
Erzherzog Leopold Wilhelm von Österreich (1614-1662) in geistlichem Gewand
Half-length portrait of a woman
Bildnis einer Frau
Frauenbildnis
Mrs. Henry Pratt (Rebecca Claypoole)
Mrs. Augustus Jay
Mrs. Cadwallader Colden
Bildnis einer Frau (?)
Portrait of a Woman
Portret de femeie