Young Lady with a Fan
Historical Context
The Gansevoort Limner's portrait of a Young Lady with a Fan from 1737 continues the Dutch-American portrait tradition of the Hudson Valley region. The Gansevoort Limner, possibly Pieter Vanderlyn, painted the Dutch colonial elite of the Albany area with a distinctive style that combined European portrait conventions with the directness of colonial folk art. The sitter's fashionable dress and fan indicate her social status within the Dutch-American community.
Technical Analysis
The oil-on-canvas demonstrates the Gansevoort Limner's characteristic flat, decorative approach with careful attention to costume details and bright, clear colors. The direct frontal gaze and patterned fabrics reflect the Dutch-American colonial portrait tradition.
Provenance
Recorded as from Kingston, New York. (Jack Bender, city unknown),[1] by whom sold in 1953 to Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch; by bequest to NGA, 1980. [1] The donor's records state that Bender purchased the painting from a Kingston family whose ancestors had resided there since 1680.
