A Lady Seated before a Window, with a Young Boy
Caspar Netscher was the most sought-after portrait painter in the Dutch city of The Hague. This finely dressed lady and child demonstrate Netscher's debt to the aristocratic portrait-style developed by Anthony Van Dyck and his followers. The background details are characteristic of Netscher's staged compositions, which sometimes contain subtle meanings.
The pomegranate decorating the stone wall on the left is a symbol of chastity; whilst the roses held by the pair are a symbol of love. Such general symbols were often used in female portraits making the identification of individual sitters difficult. It was once thought to show the mistress of Charles II, Louise de Kéroualle, the Duchess of Por ...
The pomegranate decorating the stone wall on the left is a symbol of chastity; whilst the roses held by the pair are a symbol of love. Such general symbols were often used in female portraits making the identification of individual sitters difficult. It was once thought to show the mistress of Charles II, Louise de Kéroualle, the Duchess of Por ...
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1675
Oil on canvas
475.0 x 385.0mm
8087
Images and text © Waddesdon Manor, 2017
Where you'll find this
Permanent collection