Aletta van Ravensberg (1635-77), Wife of Jan van Nes 1668

Ludolf de Jongh painted Aletta van Ravensberg, wife of Jan van Nes, with oil on canvas. The artist has paid great attention to the rendering of Aletta’s garments, in particular the black fabric of her dress and her delicate lace collar and cuffs. The texture of the dress is smooth, with soft folds that suggest a heavy but pliable textile. The lace is intricately patterned, achieved through delicate brushwork. Black dye, often more expensive than colored ones, shows the subject's wealth, while the lace hints at the labor of women in the production of textiles, where the skills of weaving and lacemaking were often passed down through generations. The choice of materials and the skill required to depict them play an important role in understanding the social context of this portrait, blurring the lines between fine art and craft.