Portrait of a Woman 1666 - 1727

Jan Frans van Douven painted this “Portrait of a Woman” at an unknown date. It is rendered in oil paint on metal, and has a diameter of just 5.5cm. The painting invites a certain intimacy due to its miniature scale. The portrait is structured around the sitter’s gaze, which meets ours directly. Her face is subtly lit, the artist using delicate brushstrokes to model her features and create a soft, almost ethereal quality. The round frame mirrors the oval shape of her face, drawing attention to the portrait's geometric form and the interplay between line and shape. What we have, then, is not just a likeness but a carefully constructed image. Van Douven uses formal elements to convey ideas about beauty, status, and representation. By emphasizing the formal qualities, the artist engages with broader cultural dialogues about the nature of portraiture, its function, and the values it embodies.