Girl in a Straw Hat

Girl in a Straw Hat from 1650 by Leyster is a late work from her career after her marriage to Jan Miense Molenaer. The charming subject demonstrates her continued skill in capturing youthful character and spontaneous expression. Leyster's domestic subjects place women in the interior spaces of the Dutch home with a quiet dignity that avoids the patronizing tone of some male contemporaries. Her handling of white linen and candlelight reflects the Haarlem genre tradition at its most technically...

The girl's features and straw hat are rendered with warm, naturalistic observation, the informal subject painted with the confident technique of Leyster's mature style.