Portrait of a woman in an octagonal frame

Frans Hals's Portrait of a Woman in an Octagonal Frame of around 1635, companion to his male octagonal portrait, uses the same trompe l'oeil format to suggest a framed oval portrait within the canvas. The woman's formal dress and reserved expression follow the conventions of Dutch female portraiture while Hals's treatment introduces his characteristic sense of arrested motion — the figure caught at a moment that suggests preceding and subsequent movement rather than static pose.

Hals renders the woman's starched collar with the same bravura technique he applies to her husband's, the white linen built from bold, confident strokes. The face is painted with warmer, more delicate handling, the subtle play of light on the features creating a convincing sense of feminine dignity.