Portrait of a Woman

Portraits of couples reaffirmed their mutual bond; this portrait also probably had a ‘male’ counterpart. Nor can it be discounted that the unknown woman was portrayed when she was thirty or thirty-three years of age. Reaching this stage of life was often the reason for commissioning a portrait. The ages relate to Christ’s life: his public life began when he…

Portraits of couples reaffirmed their mutual bond; this portrait also probably had a ‘male’ counterpart. Nor can it be discounted that the unknown woman was portrayed when she was thirty or thirty-three years of age. Reaching this stage of life was often the reason for commissioning a portrait. The ages relate to Christ’s life: his public life began when he was thirty and ended when he was thirty-three. The woman is wearing pearls, large drop earrings and a diamond-studded brooch. Such precious objects show her wealth, but simultaneously allude to transience.