Portrait of a Woman

A woman in a crisp white headdress and dark gown looks out from this small, intense portrait, her hands resting before her in an attitude of quiet devotion. Quinten Massys, the great master of early Antwerp, was renowned for the psychological depth of his sitters, and this panel from about 1520 shows his gift for dignity without flattery. The fine modelling of the face, the careful rendering of linen and the plain dark background give the sitter a grave, timeless presence.