KEY, Willem
(b. ca. 1515, Breda, d. 1568, Antwerpen)

Portrait of a Lady

1565
Oil on panel, 71 x 56 cm
Private collection

Two canvases, the Portrait of a Bearded Gentleman, and its pendant the Portrait of a Lady, represent an unidentified couple. The man is depicted half length, in a black doublet, holding the Book of Psalms, while the woman also half length in a black gown, holding the Book of Psalms. The lengths of heavy gold chains looped around their necks suggest they were a couple of some material wealth. The age of the sitters is indicated by inscriptions on the canvases as 36 and 24, respectively.