Portrait of a Lady
C.1460
Rogier van der Weyden’s enigmatic portrait captures a young woman in a moment of quiet, almost melancholic contemplation. Her strikingly high forehead, a fashionable beauty standard of 15th-century Flanders achieved by plucking the hairline, is framed by an elaborate, translucent hennin headdress that drapes elegantly over her shoulders. The deep blue background makes her pale skin and the vivid red of her belt pop with incredible intensity, showcasing the masterful oil glazing techniques of the Early Netherlandish Renaissance. Who exactly is this modest, elegantly dressed woman? Her identity remains a complete mystery, adding to the timeless allure of one of the most celebrated portraits of the Northern Renaissance.
- Dimensions
- 37 cm × 27 cm (14.6 in × 10.6 in)
Location: National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.