Bartholomeus van der Helst, 'Portrait of a Lady in Black Satin with a Fan', 1644
About the work
Overview
The lady in Bartholomeus van der Helst’s portrait may be unknown now, but she appears to have been a woman of some status. Standing out against a severe, plain black background, her clothes announce her wealth and status – and little else. Although she appears modest and unassuming her gaze is direct and steady.
With no attempt at flattery, van der Helst painted her wispy hair hanging unfashionably straight under a long lace cap, both accentuating her high forehead and the length of her face. She holds her delicately decorated stomacher out towards us – the embroidery incorporates silver thread and pearl beads, making this uncomfortable, restraining garment appear sparkling and almost frivolous. She also presents her fan, its bow – like the one at her breast – made partly of silver thread; the fan would have been hand painted, perhaps with flowers or a scene from a Greek myth.
Key facts
Details
- Full title
- Portrait of a Lady in Black Satin with a Fan
- Artist
- Bartholomeus van der Helst
- Artist dates
- 1613 - 1670
- Date made
- 1644
- Medium and support
- oil on wood
- Dimensions
- 104.6 × 76 cm
- Inscription summary
- Signed; Dated
- Acquisition credit
- Bought, 1904
- Inventory number
- NG1937
- Location
- Not on display
- Collection
- Main Collection
Provenance
Additional information
Text extracted from the ‘Provenance’ section of the catalogue entry in Neil MacLaren, revised and expanded by Christopher Brown, ‘National Gallery Catalogues: The Dutch School: 1600–1900’, London 1991; for further information, see the full catalogue entry.
Exhibition history
-
2021Rembrandt in Amsterdam: Creativity and CompetitionNational Gallery of Canada28 May 2021 - 6 September 2021Städelsches Kunstinstitut und Städtische Galerie6 October 2021 - 30 January 2022
Bibliography
-
1960Maclaren, Neil, National Gallery Catalogues: The Dutch School, 2 vols, London 1960
-
1991Maclaren, Neil, revised by Christopher Brown, National Gallery Catalogues: The Dutch School, 1600-1900, 2nd edn (revised and expanded), 2 vols, London 1991
-
2001
C. Baker and T. Henry, The National Gallery: Complete Illustrated Catalogue, London 2001
About this record
If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.