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Woman in a Red Dress

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Woman in a Red Dress
Head of a Black Woman
ArtistGabriël Metsu Edit this on Wikidata
Year1667
Dimensions22.9 cm (9.0 in) × 17.8 cm (7.0 in)
LocationPolesden Lacey
CollectionNational Trust Edit this on Wikidata
Accession No.1246502 Edit this on Wikidata
IdentifiersArt UK artwork ID: woman-in-a-red-dress-217806

Woman in a Red Dress is a painting attributed to the Dutch artist Gabriël Metsu, created c. 1660–1669. It has been in England since 1828, and in the collection of Polesden Lacey in Surrey since 1922.[1]

History and description

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The motif of a figure presented in a "niche" follows a style made popular by Metsu's teacher, Gerrit Dou. The female figure is a black woman dressed in a similar red bodice to that worn by Metsu's wife Isabella de Wolff in a portrait he painted soon after their wedding in Enkhuizen in 1658. Like other contemporary Leiden fijnschilders, Metsu has chosen the subject of a niche or window to frame his subject. The popular motif generally includes a curtain for a dramatic effect, and though Metsu painted curtains sparingly, he has chosen to place his subject prominently in front of a closed curtain here. Her portrayal at first glance needs no other supporting commentary, unlike his other "niche" paintings which are adorned with details in the typical "Dou" manner. A closer look reveals an interesting bas-relief under the window, which appears to be a variation by Metsu on François Duquesnoy's frieze of Children Playing with a Goat. Though its meaning is lost, the frieze offers a clue (along with her dress) that this woman was someone connected to Metsu's circle and was possibly a model for other painters in Leiden.

References

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  1. ^ 1246502, record in the National Trust's online catalogue
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