Portrait of a Woman Standing

Frans Hals’s Portrait of a Woman Standing shows a standing figure set against a dark background. The sitter wears a burgundy velvet gown with embroidered detail, a large white pleated ruff, and a black outer garment, while she holds a gold chain at her waist. The face is rendered with soft modeling, rosy cheeks, and a pale forehead, illuminated from the left, and the painting demonstrates Hals’s naturalistic handling of fabrics and skin against the restrained, dark backdrop.