girl in a window

This 1641 Girl in a Window at the Louvre is an early work showing Bol's use of the window-niche format for an informal study of a young woman. The composition derives from both Rembrandt's experiments with window formats and the older Leiden tradition of Gerrit Dou's window-niche paintings. Ferdinand Bol was one of Rembrandt's most talented pupils, and his portraits and history paintings from his years in the master's studio are sometimes difficult to distinguish from Rembrandt's own work—a testament to his exceptional skill in absorbing the master's technique.

The girl is framed within the window opening with informal directness, the warm lighting and fluid brushwork showing the strong influence of Rembrandt's studio on the young Bol's treatment of such intimate subjects.