Artwork

Portrait of Geertruyt, Margriet and Anna Delff, the artist's daughters

Portrait of Geertruyt, Margriet and Anna Delff, the artist's daughters is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jacob Willemsz Delff. It dates from 1660 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1660, this oil painting by Jacob Willemsz Delff the Younger portrays his three daughters—Geertruyt, Margriet and Anna—arranged closely together. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and presents a domestic scene rendered with careful attention to costume and setting.

Subject & Meaning

The three figures are dressed in richly colored garments: a dark‑green dress with a white collar, a lighter green outfit accented by a bow, and a gold dress accompanying a basket of fruit and grapes. A small dog rests with the eldest, a parrot is perched on the middle sister’s wrist, and a dark‑skinned servant appears at the edge, suggesting a narrative of family and status.

Technique & Style

Delff employs chiaroscuro, using a dark background to accentuate the illuminated faces of the women, creating a three‑dimensional effect. Fine details such as the feathers of the parrot, the texture of the fruit, and the fur of the dog demonstrate the artist’s skill in rendering varied surfaces within a cohesive composition.

History & Provenance

The portrait has remained in the Netherlands since its creation and entered the Rijksmuseum’s holdings, where it is displayed as an example of mid‑seventeenth‑century Dutch portraiture. Its attribution to Jacob Willemsz Delff the Younger is supported by stylistic analysis and the inclusion of the artist’s daughters in the title.