Portrait of a Lady in Red
Portrait of a Lady in a Red Dress is a c.1660 painting by Gabriël Metsu. It has been in England since 1828 and in the collection of Polesden Lacey since 1922.[1]
| Head of a Black Woman | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Gabriël Metsu  |
| Year | 1667 |
| Dimensions | 22.9 cm (9.0 in) × 17.8 cm (7.0 in) |
| Location | Polesden Lacey |
| Collection | National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty |
| Accession No. | 1246502 |
| Identifiers | Art UK artwork ID: head-of-a-negress-in-a-simulated-opening-217806 |
The motif of a figure presented in a "niche" follows a style made popular by Metsu's teacher, Gerrit Dou. The central figure is a woman dressed in a similar red bodice worn by Metsu's wife Isabella de Wolff in a portrait he painted soon after he married her in Enkhuizen in 1658. Like other contemporary Leiden fijnschilders, Metsu has chosen the subject of a niche or window to frame his subject. The popular motif generally includes a curtain for a dramatic effect, and though Metsu painted curtains sparingly, he has chosen to place his subject prominently in front of a closed curtain here. Her portrayal at first glance needs no other supporting commentary, unlike his other "niche" paintings which are adorned with details in the typical "Dou" manner. A closer look reveals an interesting bas-relief under the window, which appears to be a Metsu variation of Francois Duquesnoy's frieze of Children Playing with a Goat. Though its meaning is lost, it shows a clue (along with her dress) that this woman is someone connected to Metsu's circle and was possibly a model for other Leiden painters.
Portrait of Isabella de Wolff in the same dress, but with a chemise
Metsu's self-portrait at a window, with a bust by Duquesnoy
Dou's The Grocer's Shop, with the frieze
References
- 1246502, painting record in the National Trust
- A Negress, at a Window in the c.1942 Polesden Lacey catalog, on archive.org