Interior with Lady

Although the clothing in this painting of an unnamed individual might seem to suggest that the sitter is a maid, this identification is an unlikely one. The colour scheme, relying on whites, greys and black, would be appropriate for a maid’s clothing, but a uniform of the period usually included a white collar and cuffs, and certainly not the low, square neckline seen here. In addition, the white “apron” in a maid’s uniform would cover the entire bodice rather than feature a plunging line. The inclusion of a broad-brimmed hat would have been equally unsuitable.