Friedrich von Amerling
Maiden with a Straw Hat, um 1835
Öl auf Leinwand, 59,0 x 47,0 cm
1935 aus dem Kunsthandel erworben
Inv. Nr. 9999
Maiden with a Straw Hat
Amerling painted the "Maiden with a Straw Hat" in 1835 after returing from a trip to the Netherlands. His strong interest in Rubens' painting, as well as in other Flemish masters, is apparent principally through the painting's overall coloration. The rosy, lustrous portrayal of the girl's face is reminiscent of the flesh-tone used by Rubens and Jakob Jordaens.
The very tapered arrangement of the painting, as well as the over-sized portrayal forms a direct confrontation for the viewer. The sideward pose and turned away face make it clear that this is not a typical portrait, but is closer to being a genre painting. The young girl is not really depicted as an individual personality, but rather as a typical young lady of the Viennese Biedermeier.