Portret van Albertje Kuyskens - Hermanus van Brussel

A detailed etching by Hermanus van Brussel depicting Albertje Kuyskens, a resident of the Haarlem almshouse, dated 1800.

This etching by the Dutch artist Hermanus van Brussel depicts Albertje Kuyskens, an elderly woman who resided in the Diaconie- en Aelmoesseniers-Armenhuis in Haarlem. The portrait is executed with a focus on the subject's facial features, capturing the texture of her skin and the weight of her expression. The composition is contained within an oval frame, a common convention for portraiture of the period, which directs the viewer's attention to the sitter's face and hands.

Van Brussel employs a delicate line quality, using fine hatching to create shadow and volume. The subject wears a simple cap and a shawl, garments that reflect her status and the modest environment of the almshouse. Below the oval portrait, the artist includes an inscription detailing the subject's name, birth date (20 July 1698), and death date (5 February 1800), alongside the location of the institution. This text serves as a historical record, grounding the image in a specific time and place.

As a practitioner of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, van Brussel demonstrates a technical proficiency typical of Dutch printmakers of the era. The work avoids unnecessary ornamentation, prioritising a direct and honest representation of the sitter. The use of light and shadow provides a sense of depth, while the overall restraint of the composition ensures that the focus remains on the individual. This print offers a glimpse into the social history of Haarlem at the turn of the nineteenth century, documenting the life of a resident within the city's charitable system. The clarity of the etching process allows for the preservation of fine details, from the folds in the fabric to the lines on the subject's face, making it a clear example of period portraiture.