Portrait of a Woman

Michael Dahl painted this portrait of a woman in 1696, during the reign of William III when Dahl was emerging as the principal rival to Godfrey Kneller for supremacy in English portraiture. Dahl, a Swedish-born painter who settled in London in 1689, brought a softer, more intimate approach to portraiture than Kneller's grand manner. His portraits of women were particularly admired for their gentle characterization and refined color sense.

Dahl employs a warm, harmonious palette with soft modeling of the flesh tones that distinguishes his style from Kneller's more assertive handling. The composition follows late Stuart portrait conventions while demonstrating Dahl's characteristic sensitivity to his sitter's personality.