Portrait of a Woman from Southern Germany

Over a finely pleated collared blouse, this unknown woman is wearing a fur-lined jacket (a ‘Bürstlein’), which she has fastened with a red cord. On her head, she has a rather old-fashioned cap and veil, like those worn by townswomen in Southern Germany. Her pale face stands out well against the blue background.

For a long time, the painting was attributed to the German painter Hans Holbein, who painted similar portraits.