An artwork on Galleree from Minneapolis Institute of Art.
About the artwork
Portrait of Lucia Wijbrants1667
Artist: Gabriël Metsu
Dutch, 1629–1667
Portrait of a woman. Dutch golden age. A lady about thirty-four years of age with her fair hair in curls, stands full length at her toilet table, almost facing the spectator. She has a book in one hand and holds up her skirt with the other. She wears a light blue satin dress embroidered with gold lace. On the table, which is covered with a Turkey carpet, are a mirror, a silver box, and a candlestick. A spaniel frisks at her feet.
22 1/2 x 17 in. (57.15 x 43.18 cm) (panel)
30 x 24 1/2 in. (76.2 x 62.23 cm) (outer frame)
Oil on panel
Painting
Netherlands
17th century
Gift of Atherton and Winifred W. Bean
In the dim light of a quiet gallery, a painting captures the gaze of passersby. For centuries, this artwork was simply known as the Portrait of a Woman, a title shrouded in mystery and longing. But now, the veil has been lifted, and a name emerges from the shadows: Lucia Wijbrants, a wealthy widow whose life was steeped in elegance and riches.
As you stand before the canvas, you can almost feel the whispers of history echoing around you. Lucia sits poised at her dressing table, a serene presence amid the wealth that surrounds her. Rich fabrics drape elegantly across the furniture, and delicate jewels glint in the soft light. A playful spaniel, its fur fluffy and inviting, pleads for her affection, adding a touch of warmth to the otherwise sumptuous scene.
Lucia’s identity was woven together from numerous threads—a tapestry of sources revealing her life and surroundings. Scholars have traced her likeness to known portraits that capture not only her essence but also that of her late husband, a Dutch cloth merchant, known for his keen business sense. With each brushstroke, the connection deepens. The ornate bed that lies behind her holds a story of its own; it once belonged to her husband’s first wife, anchoring Lucia to a lineage both complex and revealing.
As you absorb the details, you can’t help but be drawn into Lucia’s world. Who was she beyond the opulence? What dreams and struggles swirled in her heart as she posed for this portrait? The picture speaks volumes and invites you to reflect on the tapestry of lives and stories captured within a single frame.
Hanging proudly in its intricate Dutch 17th-century frame—a gift from the Douglas and Mary Olson Frame Acquisition Fund—the portrait is no longer just a hushed whisper of the past. It is a celebration of a woman reclaiming her narrative, inviting you to take a closer look, to glimpse the life and legacy of Lucia Wijbrants.
About the artist
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