Shopper Thérèse Schwartze – Women of the Rijksmuseum

Portrait of a young Woman, with ‘Puck’ the Dog, Thérèse Schwartze, c. 1879 – c. 1885

Thérèse Schwartze painted this model wearing Italian garb in her atelier in Paris. The young woman exchanges a glance with Puck, the dog at her right. The various rich fabrics of her dress are masterfully rendered. At the time, for a young Dutch woman to work in Paris was as unconventional as pursuing an artistic career. However, as the seasoned daughter of a professional painter, Schwartze was not deterred by such obstacles.