Katherine Howard, Lady D'Aubigny (d.1650)

Katherine Howard, Lady D'Aubigny from around 1620 depicts a member of the English aristocracy during the early Stuart period. Van Dyck's portraits of English noblewomen created an enduring visual record of the feminine ideals of the Caroline court. Van Dyck's portraits defined aristocratic self-presentation across Europe, his elongated elegance and atmospheric painting technique establishing a model for formal portraiture that dominated British art until the nineteenth century.

Van Dyck renders the noblewoman with his characteristic elegance, using the rich fabric and graceful pose to create a portrait that embodies aristocratic refinement and feminine poise.