Portrait Of A Lady - Gilbert Soest (1605–1681)

This portrait depicts a highly fashionable 17th century lady. She is adorned in a number of pearl accessories, such as a necklace, hair beads, and a possible pearl diadem that drops delicately onto her forehead. She wears an orange dress with silken blue accents, and her perfectly curled hair sits gently on her neck. This lady is the embodiment of 17th century high fashion and elegance.

In the background of the painting, it is possible to discern a small town. It is possible that the sitter for this portrait was part of a noble family whose land encompassed this settlement.

This portrait is highly technical, with astonishing levels of realism. The lighting on the sitter's hair and jewellery is rendered masterfully, and the skin tones of her neck and blushed cheeks brings the sitter to life. The most striking aspect of the painting is undoubtedly the sumptuous depiction of the silken fabric of the lady's dress. The folds and the way the light plays over the fabric is truly beautiful, and pay testament to Soest as an exceptionally skilled portraitist.

Gilbert Soest

Gilbert Soest also known as Gerard Soest, was a distinguished English Portrait painter of the late 17th Century, though he his origins trace back to Dutch-German heritage. It is believed he migrated to England in the late 1640 after studying at the Utrecht school.

By 1650, Soest had established himself as a prominent society portraitist in England, securing commissions from notable figures.  His artistic reputation is particularly tied to his posthumous portrait of William Shakespeare, a work that has been frequently reproduced and remains emblematic of his oeuvre. Initially, his studio was located near Lincoln’s Inn Fields in London, but he later relocated to the north of the Strand.