Portrait of Geertruid van Diemen (....-1532) with Margaretha van Heemskerck van Beest (....-....) and St. Mary Magdalene

Dating to 1500, the portrait demonstrates the conventions of fifteenth-century portraiture at the height of the High Renaissance. Master of Delft brings characteristic skill to the depiction of the sitter. Now held at Rijksmuseum, the painting testifies to the social importance of commissioned portraits in the High Renaissance. The oil medium allowed for rich tonal transitions and glazed layers of color that created luminous depth impossible with the older tempera technique. Portraiture in this period served multiple functions: documenting individual appearance, commemorating social status, and demonstrating the patron's wealth through the quality of the commissioned work.

Executed in Tempera on panel, the work showcases Master of Delft's skilled technique, with particular attention to the interplay of light across the sitter's features. The handling of drapery and accessories demonstrates the skill expected of formal portraiture.