Portrait of a Woman with a Balance 1625 - 1626

"Portrait of a Woman with a Balance" is a 17th-century oil painting by Dutch artist Thomas de Keyser. Created between 1625 and 1626, the painting depicts a woman in a black dress and a large white collar, holding a balance scale. The woman's serious expression and the inclusion of the balance scale suggest a theme of weighing or judgment, possibly symbolizing her moral or intellectual strength. This small-scale portrait, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, offers a glimpse into Dutch portraiture of the period, capturing the details of clothing and emphasizing the sitter's individual character.