Catarina van Hemessen (attr) - Portrait of a Young Lady [1560]

Caterina van Hemessen (attr) -

Portrait of a Young Lady [1560]

Baltimore MA

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At the Baltimore Museum of Art in the United States is Catarina van Hemessen’s most puzzling work of art. Since there is no signature or date painted on the canvas, she is only presumed to be the artist.

 

This painting is confusing due to the attributed date, because in 1553 Catharina van Hemessen married the organist Kerstiaen de Morijn. Two years later the couple was invited by Mary of Hungary to join her at the Habsburg court in Spain. They remained there until Mary’s death in 1558, with records that mention their return to Antwerp in 1561.

 

According to art historian, Céline Talon, the lack of work attributed to the artist is due to her short-lived career. Like many other female Renaissance artists, there are no further works after her marriage. Therefore, in 1560, Van Hemessen’s career as a painter was nonexistent, although new works of art are attributed to her every day.

 

Perhaps this final portrait was made by Van Hemessen, since she was well-known even after her death in 1565, thanks to the famous Italian writers Lodovico Guicciardini and Giorgio Vasari, who mentioned her name in their works from 1567 and 1568. As a result, Catharina van Hemessen’s name was spread far beyond the Low Countries.

Source:

www.dailyartmagazine.com/catharina-van-hemessen-2/

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