Portrait of a Woman 1665 - 1670

Curator: Let’s turn our attention to "Portrait of a Woman," an oil painting rendered sometime between 1665 and 1670 by Nicolaes Maes. Editor: Somber. It feels...reserved. The dark palette certainly contributes to the overall subdued atmosphere, though the composition itself is quite traditional. Curator: Indeed. Maes employs a sophisticated chiaroscuro, guiding our eye to the subject’s face and hands. The geometry created by the light is key, as is the relationship of forms that create the space here. Editor: I find myself considering the materiality of the portrait more than its composition. Think of the layers of preparation—the grinding of pigments, the stretching of the canvas. How dependent his wealthy patrons were on these artistic skills to create such status symbols for themselves! Curator: Certainly, patronage shaped artistic output in the 17th century, and the oil painting, by then, held tremendous symbolic importance. But if we return to the painting itself, notice how Maes used short strokes around her face to capture the light... Editor: But this also reminds me of what it must have been like to *sit* for a portrait for countless hours. One wonders about the subject, the conditions she experienced sitting, perhaps without movement, perhaps very cold or hot depending on the weather! This kind of thing is usually overlooked when looking at portraits! Curator: Yes, and how to know those actual, real-world conditions now? Nonetheless, the painting also serves as a cultural artifact. Maes clearly uses tonal variations with immense skill. Her eyes and hands are points where the light comes forward in the pictorial field. This alone pulls us towards her. Editor: I still imagine her, the weight of that dark fabric… what it took to manufacture the clothes for the model… how it all came together! Curator: Well, this painting at the Met holds endless facets. Thanks for taking this journey with me. Editor: Likewise! I leave this piece pondering the labor and material worlds surrounding even the seemingly simplest images.