Composition and Style

The painting depicts a woman from the hips up, set against a dark background. She has pale skin, wears a black dress, and holds a white ostrich-feather fan. The woman's hairstyle, costume, and jewelry are characteristic of the 1650s, including a translucent lace collar and plain white cuffs edged with lace.

Companion Piece

This portrait is believed to have been conceived as a pendant or companion piece to another portrait by Rembrandt. Both paintings feature subjects illuminated from the same angle, and they interact with a reserved yet poignant warmth. The man in the companion piece gestures toward the woman, while she glances in his direction with her fan inclined toward him.

Provenance

The early history of the painting is not well-documented, but by 1803, it had entered the collection of Prince Nicolai Yusupov in Saint Petersburg. The painting gained significant attention at the Rembrandt exhibition in Amsterdam in 1898. During the Russian Revolution in 1917, Prince Felix Yusupov, Nicolai's great-great-grandson, took the painting and other family heirlooms to London. In 1921, Joseph E. Widener purchased the painting, and it eventually became part of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

Physical Details

The painting is oil on canvas, transferred to canvas, and measures 39 3/16 × 32 11/16 inches (99.5 × 83 cm).