Young Woman in Fantasy Costume
Rembrandt van Rijn
1633
The young woman’s clothing is not in keeping with the fashions of Rembrandt’s day, but rather reflects styles of earlier centuries. The woman’s distinctive features – a domed forehead, slightly bulging eyes, and pronounced chin – are easily recognized in depictions of ancient goddesses and heroines that Rembrandt painted in the 1630s. Thus the painting is not strictly a portrait, but a ‘tronie’, or fantasy head.
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam · Image: Rijksmuseum, Public domain · Text: Rijksmuseum, CC0