Reproductie van een geschilderd portret van een onbekende vrouw van Frans Hals before 1883

This is a reproduction of a painted portrait of an unknown woman by Frans Hals, made by Joseph Maes. It is hard to say what medium was used for the reproduction, but the image has a matte quality. In his paintings, Hals paid much attention to the materials, textures, and forms of fabrics and fashion. Here, the dark color of the sitter’s dress creates a somber mood, which is offset by the delicate collar that surrounds the subject’s face. Much of Hals's oeuvre comprises portraits of middle-class citizens and merchants. He was concerned with capturing his subjects, often ordinary people, in an evocative and engaging manner. This attention is visible in the ways that the woman’s hands are folded, lending her a sense of quiet power. The way that Maes reproduced the portrait captures the details and textures of the woman’s clothing, and encourages us to think about how the materiality of clothing speaks to status and social context. Paying attention to the materials and the making can bring us closer to understanding the full meaning of this image.