Portrait of Isabella Brant

Peter Rubens

Summary

A reproduction produced by the Vasari Society of a drawing by Peter Paul Rubens. It is a portrait of Isabella Brant, the artist’s first wife, and it shows her looking out at the viewer and smiling. It is a head and shoulder portrait, though the details of her clothing are only lightly sketched in. Only her face is in colour. She has dark, curly hair tied back and is wearing an earring. Text from the accompanying booklet produced by the Vasari Society: "No. 20 PETER PAUL RUBENS (b. 1577; d. 1640) ISABELLA BRANT, THE FIRST WIFE OF RUBENS British Museum, 1803-7-31-21. From the Lankrinck, Richardson, and Lawrence Collections. Black, red, and white chalk. 38.2 x 29.5 cm. (15 x 11 5/8 in.). A full-face likeness taken in the later years of Isabella Brant's life, and used for the picture now in the Hermitage (No. 575, Max Rooses, No. 900). The drawing is one of the most perfect and piercingly vital examples of portraiture extant by the master. S. C."