Half-figure of a Woman 1605

Jacob Matham's "Half-figure of a Woman" from 1605 depicts a woman with a gentle, reserved expression, wearing a simple white cap and a shawl. Executed in delicate black and white chalk on paper, the drawing highlights the subtle variations in the woman's features and the soft folds of her clothing. Matham's skillful rendering captures the essence of his subject, making this an excellent example of 17th-century portraiture. The drawing is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.