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
ArtistGabriël Metsu 
Year1667
Dimensions22.9 cm (9.0 in) × 17.8 cm (7.0 in)
LocationPolesden Lacey
CollectionNational Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty 
Accession No.1246502 
IdentifiersArt 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
  1. 1246502, painting record in the National Trust
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