Representing Women: Gender and Portraiture in 17th-Century Europe

Daniel Mytens the Elder (Dutch, c. 1590–1647)
Portrait of a Young Noblewoman, c. 1629
Oil on canvas
The Norton Simon Foundation, F.1965.1.042.P

An unidentified noblewoman stands in a formal pose, looking steadily at the viewer with an arresting gaze that energizes her otherwise reserved expression. This life-size portrait was likely displayed on the imposing walls of an aristocratic residence alongside other paintings of family members. The woman’s magnificent dress nearly fills the canvas, contributing to her monumental presence. Women maneuvered within courtly hierarchies by carefully curating their clothing, jewelry and visual representations, which could reveal political allegiances and social ambitions. Here, the sitter has fashioned herself after the charismatic Elizabeth Stuart (1596–1662), eldest daughter of King James I of England, whom Daniel Mytens depicted in a similar portrait (Figure 5). In particular, she adopts Elizabeth’s signature hairstyle—a loose lock playfully curling over a stiff white collar.

A standing woman resting her hand on a table and wearing a floor-length black gown decorated with gold embroidery and pearls

Figure 5: Daniel Mytens (Dutch, c. 1590–1647), Elizabeth, Queen of Bohemia (1596–1662), 1626–before 7 Mar 1627?, oil on canvas, 196.4 x 114.4 cm, The Royal Collection, United Kingdom, Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2021

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