Woman from the Albanian Coast 1700 - 1737

Jean Baptiste Vanmour, who lived between 1671 and 1737, painted this image of a "Woman from the Albanian Coast," using oil paint on canvas. Look closely, and you'll see that the artist's hand is everywhere. The delicate brushwork defines the woman's dress, which cascades with subtle folds and highlights. The texture of the textiles, too, is carefully described, from the crisp white cloth draped over her arm to the intricately patterned vest. The artist almost certainly never met this woman. Instead, he probably worked from sketches, adding detail to satisfy the expectations of his patrons. This image is not just a portrait, it's also a window into the complex relationship between the artist, his subject, and the society in which they lived. It collapses distinctions between fine art and ethnographic documentation.