Oil on panel
Holland, late 19th century
Manner of Nicolaes Eliaszoon Pickenoy (1588-1653) – Dutch painter of Flemish origin
Portrait of a young woman
Overall dimensions: 94.5 x 66 cm
Good condition
Provenance: Private collection, Germany
The present painting epitomizes the Zeitgeist of historicism and the corresponding interest in costume portraits

The present portrait of a young woman is the work of an artist active at the end of the 19th century.

It is painted in the manner of the portraits by the Dutch painter Nicolaes Eliaszoon Pickenoy (1588-1653) and presumably commemorates the marriage of the sitter. Accordingly, it was most likely intended as a pendant. As it was common in such pairs of paintings, the young woman’s three-quarter pose would have matched her husband’s position: each would turn slightly toward the other, while facing the viewer.



The painter meticulously rendered the details of his sitter's costumes, seen here in this carefully accurate portrait of a middle-class patron. The sitter is distinguished by her costume of rich black satin with a gold-embroidered bodice. Delicate white lace forms her elegant cuffs and headdress. An enormous, pleated collar surrounds her neck. She wears gold jewelry around her waist, neck and wrists. In her left hand she holds a rose as a symbol of purity.



The panel is in good order and the varnish is dark. There are small areas of abrasions and a superficial split lower right. The paint surface has partially lifted and has been consolidated to the right lower corner. Inspection under UV light reveals scattered retouching to the background and light lines of restoration to the flesh tones. The fine details are still in good order and the impasto appears very fresh in the lighter pigments. The panel measures 94.5 x 66 cm.

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