Portrait of an Elderly Woman, traditionally called Mevrouw Bodolphe
1643
Step aside, Mona Lisa—this Dutch matriarch has a gaze that could stop traffic. Frans Hals painted this elderly woman with his signature loose, energetic brushstrokes, capturing a personality that feels incredibly alive despite her formal, stiff attire. She wears a gigantic white ruff collar and a fur-trimmed black dress, the ultimate power suit of the 17th-century Netherlands. An inscription on the wall reveals she was 72 years old at the time of painting, looking remarkably sharp for her age. While tradition calls her 'Mevrouw Bodolphe,' art historians aren't actually sure who she is, making her a bit of a mysterious matriarch of the Dutch Golden Age.
- Technique
- Oil on canvas
Location: National Gallery, London
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