← Peeter Clouwet

A woman standing on a pedestal, wearing a fur-trimmed coat and ruff

Original title: A woman standing on a pedestal, wearing a fur-trimmed coat and ruff

Artist

Peeter Clouwet

Date

ca. 1640–70

Medium

Engraving

Dimensions

Plate: 9 7/8 × 5 5/16 in. (25.1 × 13.5 cm) Sheet (Trimmed): 10 1/8 × 5 1/2 in. (25.7 × 14 cm)

Credit line

The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1951

kurzbeschreibung

Peeter Clouwet made this engraved portrait between 1640 and 1670. It shows a woman standing on a pedestal, wearing a fur-trimmed coat and a ruff. Her gaze is directed to the left.

Description

On the pedestal, the woman occupies the center of the image. She wears a long-sleeved robe whose sleeves and collar are trimmed with fur. Her hair is gathered into a bun; a necklace is visible. The arrangement feels symmetrical, and the figure remains the focal point. Even light spreads across the surface, while lines and hatching bring out the textures of fabric and hair.

Context

Clouwet, a Flemish engraver of the 17th century, worked in Antwerp and later in Rome. This print was made during the Baroque era, when portraits of nobles and prosperous citizens were frequently commissioned. The sitter's clothing—fur-trimmed coat and ruff—follows the fashion of the time and suggests a representational portrait.

Impact

The woman's calm posture and the symmetrical layout give the portrait a dignified balance. The precise linework lends elegance and invites close examination of the print.

Technique

For this engraving, the motif was incised into a copper plate and then printed onto paper. Fine lines and hatching create shading and textures that render clothing and hair in detail. The monochrome execution matches the conventions of printmaking of that period.

AI-generated description text

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)