Lot 2067 Dα

This charming portrait of a woman reading at a table can be counted among the rare portraits by Quiringh Gerritsz van Brekelenkam. The small panel is a wonderful example of his painterly talent. The image, built up using thin layers of colour and incorporating a finely painted Vanitas still life, is entirely in keeping with the Leiden "fijnschilder" tradition. On the table is a rosary with a black cross, which identifies the unknown woman as a Catholic. Brekelenkam himself was Catholic and worked for various Catholic patrons.