A Woman

An unidentified woman gazes out from a dark background, her features rendered with the careful naturalism characteristic of early sixteenth-century Haarlem painting. Mostaert was one of the few Netherlandish artists documented before 1520, and his portraits reveal a directness of observation that connects him to the tradition of Jan van Eyck. The restrained palette and attention to the sitter’s individual features suggest a commission from Haarlem’s prosperous merchant class.