Catharina van hemessen paintings

Catharina van Hemessen is the earliest Flemish woman artist for whom verifiable work survives. She signed this portrait in Latin in the top right corner. We do not know who the sitter was, but she was evidently wealthy. Her fine shirt, visible at her neck and wrists, is ornated with delicate black embroidery and only loosely tied across the neck; the bodice of her dress is dark grey corded and watered silk; and her sleeves are of red velvet.

Her gloves are decorated with black and golden embroidery. Her belt is made of gold and black beads and cylinders, held in place with gold settings. It may likely carry a pomander a round vessel, usually a fine piece of gilded metalwork, containing perfume at its end. A small dog with what seem to be bells on its collar is tucked under her arm.

Hairdressing by rachel ruysch

Portraits of women with pet animals, often lapdogs, were quite common in the sixteenth century. Her fine shirt, visible at her neck and wrists, is ornamented with delicate black embroidery, and only loosely tied across her neck; the bodice of her dress is corded and watered silk. Her sleeves are of red velvet, her skirt made of black damask.

She holds a pair of gloves, presumably leather, decorated with black and golden embroidery.

Catharina van hemessen national gallery

Her belt is made of black beads and cylinders, held in place with gold settings. Portraits of affluent women with pet animals were quite common in the sixteenth century; both Bronzino at the Medici court in Florence The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York and the Netherlandish painter Antonis Mor at the Imperial court in Madrid Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid have portrayed their female sitters with their lapdogs.

The portrait is in good condition. The panel is one board of oak which has been slightly trimmed on the right and at the bottom, but very little has been lost.