Portret van Wiesken Matthijs - Moses ter Borch

A delicate 1660 portrait study of Wiesken Matthijs by Moses ter Borch, rendered in black and white chalk on blue paper.

This portrait of Wiesken Matthijs, executed by Moses ter Borch in 1660, demonstrates the technical precision characteristic of the Dutch Golden Age. The artist utilised black and white chalk on blue paper, a medium that allowed for subtle tonal transitions and a soft, atmospheric quality. The subject is depicted in a head-and-shoulders view, wearing a simple hood that frames her face. Her eyes are closed, suggesting a moment of quiet contemplation or rest.

Moses ter Borch, a member of a prominent family of painters in Zwolle, produced this work at a young age. The inscription at the bottom, 'Moses ter Borch, nae het leven geteekent den 21 January', confirms the date and the artist's direct observation of the sitter. The use of white chalk to catch the light on the forehead, nose, and chin provides a sense of volume, while the darker strokes define the shadows within the folds of the head covering. The blue paper acts as a mid-tone, unifying the composition and providing a cool base for the highlights.

This drawing belongs to a collection of works by the Ter Borch family, many of which are preserved in the Rijksmuseum. It offers a glimpse into the domestic life and portraiture practices of the seventeenth-century Netherlands. The focus remains entirely on the individual, captured with an economy of means that avoids unnecessary detail. The artist's ability to render the texture of the fabric and the soft contours of the face with such limited materials reflects the high level of training and observation common among artists of this period. The work remains a clear example of the intimate, observational style that defined the smaller-scale drawings of the era.