Portrait of a Lady 1654 - 1656

Cornelis Visscher made this portrait of a lady using black chalk, likely in the Netherlands during the mid-17th century. Chalk is a humble material, yet here, Visscher coaxes from it a remarkable illusion. Notice how he uses a dense accumulation of strokes to describe the background and the shadows in the woman’s dress. The artist skillfully renders the textures and sheen of the sitter's rich garments. Her jewelry and meticulously crafted clothing are visual markers of wealth and status. The very act of sitting for a portrait was a privilege. Consider the labor involved, from the making of the sitter's garments to the drawing itself. Visscher has left traces of his process on the page, offering us a glimpse into the world of 17th-century Dutch society and the artistry that captured it. By attending to the materials and making of this work, we expand our understanding and appreciation of the portrait and the people who made it.