Head

16th century

Oil on panel

25.1 × 18.7 cm (9.9 × 7.4 in)

SEE IT IN PERSON

● On view now — Collection Gallery, Room 03, North Wall

Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia · verified July 2026

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Discussion

FROM THE BARNES FOUNDATION’S CATALOG

The subject of this portrait wears a double-stranded pearl necklace and a lace collar luminously articulated against her dark hair, dress, and background. She gazes directly at the viewer and smiles subtly. Her costume and hairstyle align closely with courtly circles in Tudor England, but the perspicuous detail speaks to French painting practice. The mysterious portrait was probably a commemorative or diplomatic gift indicative of a time when artists, works of art, and rulers circulated widely.

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