The identity of this elegantly and richly dressed lady is not known. The fur-lined coat is fairly unusual on 17th-century portraits of citizens and is an indication that the woman must have been so wealthy that she could permit herself this almost noble status. The suggestion that the person in the portrait may be Elysabeth Dell, with whom Ferdinand Bol wed in 1653, is not convincing. The composition suggests that the painting had a companion, in the form of a portrait of a man. If the woman is Elysabeth Dell, then Bol would have painted himself as a pendant to this painting.
What is strange is that all sorts of changes have been made to this portrait. It is still very obvious that the woman originally had a bunch of flowers in her hand and not a fan. Considerable changes have also been made to the contours, so that we can assume that the portrait originally looked completely different.
Specifications
| Title | Portrait of a lady |
|---|---|
| Material and technique | Oil on canvas |
| Object type |
Painting
> Painting
> Two-dimensional object
> Art object
|
| Location | This object is in storage |
| Dimensions |
Height 131,8 cm Width 108 cm |
|---|---|
| Artists |
Painter:
Ferdinand Bol
|
| Accession number | 1070 (OK) |
| Credits | Purchased 1866 |
| Department | Old Masters |
| Acquisition date | 1866 |
| Creation date | in 1652 |
| Research |
Show research Alma |
| Material | |
| Object | |
| Geographical origin | Northern Netherlands > The Netherlands > Western Europe > Europe |
