This pictorial style and format was one that Cuyp employed with regularity in the 1640s, particularly in his portrayals of female sitters. Comparable examples include the portrait of Margaretha de Geer of 1651 (Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam) and the portrait of Emerentia van Driel of 1647 (Dordrechts Museum). The similarities with a portrait of Johanna van Diemen, of 1647, sold Christie’s, London, 17 April 2002, lot 42 (£40,000) are rather striking and at the time of the 2002 sale Dr. Alan Chong was consulted. However, it was misunderstood that he thought the same sitter was depicted in the present portrait. As he has recently suggested, the similarities in facial features evident in the two portraits may suggest the present sitter is a relative of Johanna van Diemen.

We are grateful to both Dr. Alan Chong and Sander Paarlberg for their help in cataloguing this lot.