Lady writing at a desk

The Master of the Female Half-Lengths painted this Lady Writing at a Desk around 1515, one of the workshop's characteristic secular subjects. These refined images of women engaged in reading, writing, or music-making were particularly popular among cultivated Antwerp collectors. His compositions are distinguished by their delicate refinement and the cultured attributes — musical instruments, prayer books, songsheets — that accompany his subjects.

The panel displays the workshop's signature smooth execution with idealized female type, meticulous rendering of writing implements and costume, and the elegant interior setting typical of these commercially successful compositions.