Portrait of a Woman
Artist: Ambrosius Benson (South Netherlandish, ca. 1495-before 1550)
Date: about 1525-1530
Dimensions:
H: 16 in. (40.6 cm); W: 10 5/8 in. (27 cm)
Medium: Oil on wood panel
Classification: Paintings
Credit Line: Purchased with funds from the Libbey Endowment, Gift of Edward Drummond Libbey
Object number: 1950.239
Label Text:Dressed richly in velvet, fur, gold-embroidered sleeves, and gold and pearl jewelry, this unknown Flemish woman—her hands pressed together devoutly in prayer—is undoubtedly wealthy. The artist, Ambrosius Benson, was based in Bruges (in modern-day Belgium) and painted not only portraits of the wealthy merchant class, but also large-scale altarpieces.
This portrait, painted on wood panel, was possibly originally joined with hinges along the right side to a second panel depicting the Virgin Mary and Christ Child or a saint important to the woman. Such devotional images were popular in the 16th century in what is now modern-day Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, and regions of northern France. They were not meant to be hung on the wall, as here, but displayed standing up. They were portable, so could be carried from room to room or from house to house for those wealthy enough to have multiple homes.
This portrait, painted on wood panel, was possibly originally joined with hinges along the right side to a second panel depicting the Virgin Mary and Christ Child or a saint important to the woman. Such devotional images were popular in the 16th century in what is now modern-day Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, and regions of northern France. They were not meant to be hung on the wall, as here, but displayed standing up. They were portable, so could be carried from room to room or from house to house for those wealthy enough to have multiple homes.
Not on view
In Collection(s)