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Source Description

The intricate gold and enamel filigree collar and diamond pendant are quite fine, but it is the embroidered bodice and ruff of exquisite needlepoint in the Spanish style that really speak to this noblewoman's wealth and sense of fashion. The ruff is similar to that worn by Archduchess Isabella in "The Archdukes Visiting the Collection of Pierre Roose" (Walters 37.2010).The style suggests that of Frans Pourbus the Younger but is likely that of a contemporary influenced by his successful manner. Pourbus was a superb portraitist of the aristocracy, giving his faces vitality through a very creamy evocation of skin tones while rendering the indications of their status to splendid effect. He was active at several courts including that of the Archdukes in Brussels. After 1609 he settled in Paris, working for Marie de' Medici, widow of Henry IV, and her court. As this painting is dated 1617, the sitter may well be from the Spanish aristocratic families in the cirlce of the archdukes in Brussels and painted by a Flemsih artist imitating Pourbus's creamy skin tones and sense of detail.

Scholar Source Context

Document identity
localId
292
label
Portrait of a Noblewoman
core
obj
dtoType
drawing
pageCount
4
Source metadata
id
292
contentType
drawing
stage
normalized
title
Portrait of a Noblewoman
description
The intricate gold and enamel filigree collar and diamond pendant are quite fine, but it is the embroidered bodice and ruff of exquisite needlepoint in the Spanish style that really speak to this noblewoman's wealth and sense of fashion. The ruff is similar to that worn by Archduchess Isabella in "The Archdukes Visiting the Collection of Pierre Roose" (Walters 37.2010).The style suggests that of Frans Pourbus the Younger but is likely that of a contemporary influenced by his successful manner. Pourbus was a superb portraitist of the aristocracy, giving his faces vitality through a very creamy evocation of skin tones while rendering the indications of their status to splendid effect. He was active at several courts including that of the Archdukes in Brussels. After 1609 he settled in Paris, working for Marie de' Medici, widow of Henry IV, and her court. As this painting is dated 1617, the sitter may well be from the Spanish aristocratic families in the cirlce of the archdukes in Brussels and painted by a Flemsih artist imitating Pourbus's creamy skin tones and sense of detail.
provenance
Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1911 [mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
1617 (Baroque)
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Painting & Drawing
paintings
portraits
imageCount
4
pageCount
4
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
65.1
height
53.8
dimensionsRaw
H: 25 5/8 x W: 21 3/16 in. (65.1 x 53.8 cm)
Source extras
dynasty
House of Bourbon
reign
Louis XVIII (AD 1610-1643)
med
oil on canvas
creator_ids
7047
6505
collection_ids
BAR
exhibition_ids
2674
Page inventory
seq
1
type
photo
mediaId
9f9b0456b4477ea7
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
2
type
photo
mediaId
b2696c5dea917c88
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
3
type
photo
mediaId
b52076533af27251
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
4
type
photo
mediaId
97c1f680a306955c
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no