Images(3)

Portrait of a Woman Wearing a Gold Chain

Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn (Dutch, 1606–1669)

1634

Medium/TechniqueOil on panel

Dimensions69.5 x 53 cm (27 3/8 x 20 7/8 in.)

Credit LineGift of Mrs. Frederick L. Ames, in the name of Frederick L. Ames

Accession number93.1474

On View

On view

ClassificationsPaintings

Collections

Europe

Description

As a young painter newly arrived in Amsterdam, Rembrandt rapidly gained fame for his stylish portraits of Dutch burghers. Paired images of couples were common in the Netherlands; this painting and its companion show an unidentified husband and wife. Rembrandt captures the viewer's attention with his vivid presentation of the woman's engaging personality and the dazzling rendering of her multi-layered lace collar and gold chain. During this early period, Rembrandt’s technique was already daring. In order to depict the highlights of his subject’s curly hair, he scratched wet paint with the end of his brush.

InscriptionsUpper right: R E M[...] / 16[...]

ProvenanceBaron François-Florentin-Achille de Seillière (b. 1813 - d. 1873) [see note 1]; by descent to his daughter, Anne Alexandrine Jeanne Marguérite Seillière (b. 1839 - d. 1905), Princess Sagan, Paris; 1889, sold by Princess Sagan to Durand-Ruel, Paris [see note 2]. 1889, Cottier and Co., London and New York [see note 3]; sold by Cottier to Frederick Lothrop Ames (b. 1835 - d. 1893), Boston; by descent to his widow, Rebecca (Mrs. Frederick L.) Ames (b. 1838 - d. 1905), Boston; 1893, gift of Mrs. Frederick L. Ames to the MFA. (Accession Date: December 12, 1893)

NOTES:
[1] First published as in the Seillière collection by C. Vosmaer, "Rembrandt: sa vie et ses oeuvres" (The Hague, 1877), p. 503; also see Alfred von Wurzbach, "Rembrandt - Galerie" (Stuttgart, 1886), p. 75, no. 320.

[2] "Current News in the Fine Arts," New York Times, December 24, 1893, p. 13.

[3] The Studio, n.s., vol. 4, no. 11 (October, 1889), p. 176.