Skip to main content

Gerard ter Borch, 'Portrait of Hermanna van der Cruis', about 1665-9

Key facts
Full title Portrait of Hermanna van der Cruis
Artist Gerard ter Borch
Artist dates 1617 - 1681
Date made about 1665-9
Medium and support oil on canvas
Dimensions 71.9 × 57.7 cm
Acquisition credit Bequeathed by Sir Otto Beit, 1931
Inventory number NG4596
Location Not on display
Collection Main Collection
Portrait of Hermanna van der Cruis
Gerard ter Borch
/

This serious-looking woman is Hermanna van der Cruis. She was married to Abraham van Suchtelen, who held many posts in national and local government in the Netherlands. The portrait was probably made in the second half of the 1660s, when Hermanna was about 50, a wealthy widow and respected in the upper circles of local society.

Ter Borch had introduced this type of full-length, small-scale portrait in the 1640s while travelling and painting in many parts of Europe. By setting figures against a dark, unfussy background and by using strong blocks of colour to contrast with the black and white clothing that was fashionable at the time, he created arresting compositions highlighting what was important to his clients: the sitters' faces and how they were dressed. Ter Borch was particularly admired for his ability to capture the soft textures of expensive gauze, satin and velvet such as we see here.

Download image
Download low-resolution image

Download a low-resolution copy of this image for personal use.

License this image

License and download a high-resolution image for reproductions up to A3 size from the National Gallery Picture Library.

License image
Download low-resolution image

This image is licensed for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons agreement.

Examples of non-commercial use are:

  • Research, private study, or for internal circulation within an educational organisation (such as a school, college or university)
  • Non-profit publications, personal websites, blogs, and social media

The image file is 800 pixels on the longest side.

As a charity, we depend upon the generosity of individuals to ensure the collection continues to engage and inspire. Help keep us free by making a donation today.

Download low-resolution image

You must agree to the Creative Commons terms and conditions to download this image.

Creative Commons Logo