Vrouw met een waaier 1623 - 1653

Pieter Nolpe created ‘Woman with a Fan’ using etching techniques. Note the stark contrast, and precise lines defining the woman’s figure against the open landscape. Nolpe’s technical skills are evident in the intricate detailing of the woman’s dress, and the expressive quality of the landscape, which includes an ominous sky and sparse, linear rendering of buildings and figures in the background. The woman is centrally located with hands on her hips, and a fan in her right hand. She is carefully detailed, while the backdrop dissolves, adding depth through strategic shading, inviting speculation about the depicted scene. Nolpe masterfully uses etching to create a composition that balances formal representation with symbolic depth. The rendering destabilizes established meanings through its evocative formal qualities. The stark aesthetic invites ongoing interpretation, as the woman stands framed by meticulous lines within her historical context.