Portrait of Maria Schaep (1658-1725), wife of Hendrick Bicker

Van Musscher employs a restrained chiaroscuro, allowing a focused light source to illuminate Schaep’s face and upper garments against a muted, shadowy landscape. Subtle modelling of shadows renders the texture of fabric and the flesh’s volume, while the dark background isolates the sitter, enhancing the three‑dimensional effect.

Created in the early 1690s, the portrait entered the Rijksmuseum’s holdings through its acquisition program for Dutch Golden Age works. Documentation links the painting directly to the Bicker family, confirming its original function as a private commemoration rather than a public commission.

The portrait aligns with a broader Dutch tradition of depicting affluent women in domestic settings, where clothing and accessories signal wealth without overt extravagance. Van Musscher, known for his refined brushwork, often portrayed members of the Amsterdam mercantile class, reflecting the city’s prosperous social milieu.