Vrouw met tulband met pluim en tros parels 1649 - 1650

This is Stefano della Bella’s “Woman with Turban with Plume and Bunch of Pearls,” made with pen and brown ink at the Rijksmuseum. The composition immediately draws us into the elegant chaos of lines that define the woman’s extravagant headdress. The plume and turban create a dynamic, almost theatrical flourish above her serene profile. Note how della Bella uses varied line weights—thicker, darker strokes to define the contours of her face and shawl, against finer, lighter lines to suggest the delicate texture of her curls. The visual rhythm established by the contrasting textures and densities invites a reading of Baroque sensibilities. Here, the interplay of light and shadow, achieved through hatching and cross-hatching, contributes not only to the three-dimensionality of the figure but also to a sense of movement and drama. This piece doesn’t just represent a woman; it embodies a broader cultural fascination with spectacle and the theatrical display of wealth and status.