The artwork known as “Female portrait” is attributed to El Greco, a prominent painter of the Mannerism movement during the Late Renaissance. It was created around 1595, in Spain. This oil on canvas painting, measuring 40 by 33 centimeters, exemplifies the genre of portraiture. It currently resides in the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, located in Philadelphia, PA, United States.
The painting depicts a woman in three-quarter view, looking directly at the viewer with an expression that is both inscrutable and arresting. Her dark eyes appear contemplative, and there’s a subtle hint of melancholy or pensiveness in her gaze. The artist has rendered her features with elongated, elegant lines, a characteristic of the Mannerist style which favored stylization over the more naturalistic approach of the earlier Renaissance.
The sitter’s attire suggests a sense of decorum and modesty, with her head and shoulders draped in a cloak that has a rich, ruddy color, possibly hinting at a status of some distinction. The work is dominated by earthy tones, with the stark black background throwing the gently illuminated visage and the reddish hues of the drapery into relief. This creates a striking contrast that draws the observer’s attention immediately to her face and the garment.
The virtuosity of El Greco is evident in the way he has captured the texture of the fabric and the softness of the woman’s skin. Despite a rather austere composition, the artwork communicates a deeply human presence and invites contemplation on the subject’s identity and her story, which remains elegantly veiled in history.
