Portrait of Volckera Claesdr Knobbert (1554-1634) 1617

Michiel Jansz. van Mierevelt painted this portrait of Volckera Claesdr Knobbert in oil on wood, sometime around the early 17th century. Oil paint, of course, is a binder of pigment and oil, typically linseed. The paint would have been applied in thin layers, allowing for the subtle modeling of Volckera's face, and the crisp delineation of her ruff. Interestingly, the support is wood. Canvas was becoming more common at this time, but a wooden panel provided a smooth, rigid surface, good for exacting detail. The ruff around Volckera's neck is especially noteworthy. Rendered in stark white, it draws attention to the face, but also speaks to the skill required to produce such elaborate lace. It is an immaculate piece of workmanship, a testament to the labor-intensive nature of luxury textiles in this period. Looking closely at the painting, we realize it is not just about Volckera, but about the complex economies of skill, material, and value that she and the artist both inhabited.