Home / Artworks / A Genoese Lady with Her Child
A Genoese Lady with Her Child
Anthony van Dyck, c. 1623–25
Before the 1600s, a large full-length portrait of a rich client usually stressed status above everything else. The Cleveland Museum of Art explains that likeness and liveliness came second to an easily read display of the sitter's power. Anthony van Dyck changed that tradition, and the museum says his portraits shook up elite portraiture in Genoa.
The sitter of this painting, made around 1623 to 1625, is unidentified. Her clothes and the scale of the canvas, over two metres high, show her rank. But Van Dyck gave her face warmth, set her against a dramatic background and added a touching detail: the child reaching up spontaneously towards her.
That small movement is what holds the painting. The rest is formal, and the gesture is not.
From the museum record
| Artist | Anthony van Dyck |
|---|---|
| Date | c. 1623–25 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Size | Unframed: 217.8 x 146 cm |
| Museum | The Cleveland Museum of Art |
| Credit line | Gift of the Hanna Fund |
| Accession number | 1954.392 |
| Licence | Open Access (CC0) |
Source: The Cleveland Museum of Art collection record. Facts such as dates, sizes and credit lines come from that record. The write-up above was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the museum record and standard references. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
