Maria Hermina Heemskerk (1827–1908). Echtgenote van Menno David Graaf van Limburg Stirum

Hendrik Willem Mesdag's 1887 portrait of Maria Hermina Heemskerk is a departure from the marine subjects that dominated his oeuvre — painted as a record of a prominent figure in Dutch aristocratic society. Maria Hermina was the wife of a count, and her portrait by the leading marine painter of the Dutch Hague School would have carried social significance. The Rijksmuseum's collection includes this portrait alongside Mesdag's seascapes, reflecting the broader documentary scope of the national collection.

Mesdag brings a seascape painter's attention to tonal values to the portrait setting — the figure placed against a simply organized background, the face modeled with careful attention to natural light. His handling is less refined than professional portraitists of his day, but the directness of observation gives the work genuine character.