plate no. 5868

Portrait of a Young Girl Standing near a Fountain

oilBaroqueportraitportraitfiguredressfountainlandscapepearls

what to study here

It shows clearly how a portraitist concentrates light, edge sharpness and fine detail on the face while keeping cloak, fountain and landscape subordinate.

The useful lesson here is how the painter controls attention with value and edge. The vision analysis describes light entering from the upper left and landing hardest on the face and the white dress, then dropping off across the torso and red drapery. Behind the head is a nearly black, thinly painted background, so the pale head reads first. From there the eye moves down the pearl necklace and across the arm toward the fountain basin. Edges are sharp around the face and head silhouette. The linen and the passage where cream meets red are softer, with wet-into-wet blending. The fountain basin and foliage are handled with broader, looser strokes, while the face and pearls get the fine detail. Squint and the picture breaks into three zones: dark background, bright face and upper torso, and a warm mid-tone band of red cloak and ochre-brown basin. Study how detail, edge sharpness and value contrast are all spent on the face and held back elsewhere. A vertical axis made by the figure and the fountain edge keeps the landscape from scattering the composition.

key decision

The painter set the pale, sharply edged face against a nearly black, thinly painted background and kept the fountain and foliage in broader, softer strokes. This puts the viewer's eye on the face first.

From the record

Dimensions: 85.5 cm high × 64.5 cm wide
Institution: Bristol City Museum & Art Gallery
Location: Red Lodge Museum, Bristol
Inception: 1664
Materials: oil paint, canvas

woman
fountain
dolphin

Wikidata item Q60289941

recreation guide

This recreation guide addresses Nicolaes Maes’s 'Portrait of a Young Girl Standing near a Fountain' (1664), a work situated in the artist’s mature period. During the 1660s, Maes’s style shifted from austere, dark-background portraits to a format influenced by Flemish portraiture, particularly Anthony van Dyck. This period is characterized by the use of staging and accessories, often placing sitters in elegant gardens or against sunset skies with a freer brushstroke (Source 2). The specific format of this painting likely follows Maes’s standardized approach for three-quarter-length figures, who are depicted leaning against props such as columns, fountains, or rocks (Source 2). The work exemplifies the Baroque genre of portrait painting, intended to capture a recognizable likeness while serving as a record of the sitter’s appearance and status (Source 5).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 6-8 sessions

materials

7 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (artist grade)	Primary medium for the painting	—
Linseed oil	Medium to mix with paint for layering and glazing	Refined linseed oil
Mineral spirits or turpentine	Solvent to thin paint for initial layers and clean brushes	Odorless mineral spirits (OMS) or gum turpentine
Canvas	Support surface	Linen or cotton canvas, primed
Charcoal or thinned paint	For initial sketching of the subject	Vine charcoal or raw umber thinned with solvent
Paintbrushes and palette knives	Application and scraping of paint	Hog bristle and synthetic brushes; flexible palette knives
Rags	Wiping away wet paint or applying scumbles	Lint-free cotton rags or paper towels

preparation

surface prep

The canvas should be prepared with a ground suitable for oil painting. While specific ground recipes for Maes are not detailed in the sources, traditional oil painting techniques of the period involved preparing a stable surface to receive the paint layers. The artist likely used a white or light-toned ground to facilitate the lighter spirit and light tones characteristic of his 1660s-1670s garden portraits (Source 2).

underdrawing

Begin by sketching the subject onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint, as was traditional for oil painting techniques of the era (Source 1). Given Maes’s mature style emphasizes gestures, poses, and the interaction with props like the fountain, the underdrawing should focus on accurate proportions and the dynamic relationship between the figure and the architectural element (Source 2).

underpainting

Consider using a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) to establish values before applying color. This technique, involving the extraction of red and yellow tones to create a neutral base, was practiced by old masters and allows for subsequent glazing and scumbling (Source 7). This approach helps in managing the 'fat over lean' rule, ensuring the initial layers are leaner (more solvent) and subsequent layers are fatter (more oil) to prevent cracking (Source 1).

color palette

Light tones / Flesh tones

Lead white, vermilion, yellow ochre, and lake pigments

The sitter's skin and clothing, reflecting the 'lighter spirit' and 'light tones' of Maes's 1660s-1670s style (Source 2)

Green / Blue tones

Verdigris, terre verte, ultramarine

The garden setting and fountain, providing complementary contrast to flesh tones (Source 4)

Warm sunset tones

Yellow ochre, red lake, white

The background sky, consistent with Maes’s use of sunset skies in his mature portraits (Source 2)

composition

The composition likely features a three-quarter-length figure leaning against a fountain, a standardized format Maes employed during his mature period (Source 2). The setting is probably a terrace or garden, utilizing a sunset sky to create a lighter atmosphere compared to his earlier dark-background works (Source 2). The arrangement emphasizes the sitter’s gestures and pose, influenced by Flemish portraiture (Source 2).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the figure and fountain using charcoal or thinned paint.
Tip — Focus on the pose and interaction with the prop, as Maes emphasized gestures in this period.
Initial sketching

underpainting

step 02
Apply a lean underpainting, possibly a grisaille, to establish values.
Tip — Ensure this layer is 'lean' (more solvent) to adhere to the 'fat over lean' rule.
Grisaille / Monochrome underpainting

first pass

step 03
Block in the main colors, starting with the background and larger areas.
Tip — Use thinner paint mixed with solvent for these initial color layers.
Blocking in

refining

step 04
Build up flesh tones and clothing details using thicker paint.
Tip — Each additional layer should contain more oil than the one below to prevent cracking.
Layering / Fat over lean
step 05
Apply glazes and scumbles to adjust translucency and sheen.
Tip — Glazing adds transparency; scumbling adds semi-opaque texture. Use oil or varnish mixtures as mastery increases.
Glazing and Scumbling

finishing

step 06
Refine edges and highlights, using a free brushstroke consistent with Maes’s mature style.
Tip — Maes’s later portraits show a free brushstroke, especially in gardens and light tones.
Free brushstroke

critical techniques

Fat over Lean

A basic rule of oil painting where each additional layer contains more oil than the layer below to ensure proper drying and prevent cracking.

Glazing and Scumbling

Glazing applies transparent color coats; scumbling applies semi-opaque paint. These techniques adjust translucency, sheen, and density, and were practiced by old masters.

Complementary Color Contrast

Using complementary colors (e.g., red and green, orange and blue) to intensify colors. For example, surrounding an orange drapery with blue tones makes it appear more orange.

common pitfalls

→Violating the 'fat over lean' rule by applying lean layers over fat ones, which can cause the painting to crack and peel (Source 1).
→Over-modeling or being too tied down to outlines, which contradicts the free brushstroke characteristic of Maes’s mature style (Source 2, Source 3).
→Ignoring color interaction laws, such as failing to use complementary colors to enhance brilliance or soften tones (Source 4).

what the sources don't tell us

Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.

·Specific pigment recipes used by Nicolaes Maes in 1664 are not detailed in the sources.
·The exact dimensions and aspect ratio of this specific portrait are not provided, though Maes used standardized formats.
·Detailed description of the young girl’s facial expression or specific clothing patterns is absent from the sources.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Grisaille underpainting and glazing techniques.
The Science of Painting↗
- 4. When two colours separated by more than two others — applied to Color theory and complementary contrast.

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 2 — applied to General oil painting techniques, fat over lean rule, glazing, scumbling, and underdrawing.
Wikipedia bio — Nicolaes Maes↗
- Portrait painting — applied to Maes’s mature style, use of props like fountains, garden settings, sunset skies, and free brushstroke.
Wikipedia: Portrait painting↗
- Portrait painting — part 1 — applied to Genre context and purpose of portraiture.

Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.

read from the painting

observed from the image, not the label

6 dominant colors, measured

what the eye sees

Light enters from the upper left, striking the figure's face and the white fabric of her dress most brilliantly, then falls away sharply across her torso and the red drapery. The girl's head—pale, serene, positioned slightly left of center—acts as the primary focal point; your eye lands there first because of its luminosity against the dark background, then travels down the pearl necklace and across her right arm toward the fountain basin. The composition is anchored by a strong vertical axis: her body and the fountain's edge create a stable geometry that prevents the portrait from feeling scattered despite the landscape visible beyond.

value structure

The darkest darks are concentrated in the background—a nearly black void behind her head and shoulders that creates dramatic recession. The lightest lights are her face, neck, and the white undergarments, which read as nearly pure value peaks. Mid-tones dominate the red cloak and the warm ochre-brown tones of the fountain basin and leafy background. Squint and you'll see three distinct zones: deep shadow (background), brilliant light (face and upper torso), and a transitional band of warm mid-tones (the red fabric and fountain elements).

observed palette and mixes

#151208
Ivory Black with a touch of Burnt Umber
The background void behind her head; deepest recesses of the drapery folds
#f5e6d3
Lead White with Yellow Ochre and a whisper of Cadmium Red
Face, neck, and the pale linen of her undergarment and headdress binding
#c84432
Vermillion or Cadmium Red with Burnt Sienna
The bold red cloak draped across her left shoulder and arm
#a1967e
Yellow Ochre with Burnt Sienna and White
The fountain basin, stone rim, and warm mid-tone foliage on the right
#5a4934
Burnt Sienna with Ultramarine and White
Mid-tone shadowing in the background landscape; warm neutrals in fabric folds
#d4af9e
White with Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red, and a touch of Raw Sienna
Pearl necklace; highlights on the white fabric catching sidelight

edges and brushwork

Edges are sharply defined around the face and along the silhouette of the head—a hallmark of Maes's precise hand in portraiture. The fabric, however, shows softer transitions where white linen meets the shadows of her bodice; wet-into-wet blending is evident in the transitions between the cream undergarment and the red cloak. The background is thinly painted and relatively featureless, allowing the foreground figure to read clearly; strokes in the fountain basin and foliage are broader and more impressionistic, contrasting with the meticulous detail lavished on the girl's face and pearls.

a working sequence

01
Establish the dark ground
Block in the background using your darkest mix (Black + Burnt Umber) in the upper left and around the head, keeping edges soft where the background recedes. This dark envelope frames everything and establishes the value hierarchy immediately. Work loosely; you're creating negative space, not detail.
02
Underpainting for the face and neck
Lay in the pale face tone (White + Yellow Ochre + tiny Cadmium Red) as a thin, warm base across the face and neck. Indicate the shadow side of the face with a slightly cooler, darker version of this tone. Don't model yet—just establish the planar structure and the major light/shadow division.
03
Block the red cloak and white drapery
Paint the red cloak (Vermillion + Burnt Sienna) in broad strokes across the left shoulder and arm. Simultaneously block in the white linen of her undergarment and the headdress as a pale cream tone. Notice how the red sits behind the white at the shoulder—respect that layering. Keep these areas somewhat flat for now.
04
Model the face with anatomical precision
Using a smaller round brush, refine the face with careful modeling. Deepen the shadow on the right side of her face and under the chin with your mid-tone brown (Burnt Sienna + Ultramarine + White). Warm the cheeks slightly and define the eye sockets, nose structure, and mouth. Her gaze is direct and serene—the eyes should be steady and level. Pay attention to how the light wraps around her temple and cheekbone.
05
Render the pearls and jewelry
Paint the pearl necklace with small touches of pale, warm white (White + tiny Yellow Ochre) with delicate shadows underneath each sphere. The metal clasp at her breast should be a dull warm tone—not bright gold, but a restrained metallic accent. Pearls catch light in discrete points; don't overwork them.
06
Develop the white fabric with subtle shadow
Where the white linen drapes over her chest and shoulders, introduce soft shadows using your pale mid-tone (White + Raw Sienna + Yellow Ochre). Follow the fabric's geometry—it gathers and folds, and shadows pool in the valleys. The undergarment should feel luminous but three-dimensional, not flat. Keep edges soft where fabric meets fabric.
07
Refine the cloak's folds and luminosity
Layer additional strokes of red into the cloak, darkening folds with Alizarin Crimson or Cadmium Red + Ultramarine where the fabric turns away from light. In the upper portions where light grazes it, add touches of a lighter red-orange. Notice the cloak's weight and how it drapes over her arm and down toward the fountain.
08
Paint the fountain basin and landscape background
Using your warm ochre-brown (Yellow Ochre + Burnt Sienna + White), define the fountain's rim and basin. Keep this area subordinate—it should not compete with the face. Suggest foliage on the right with loose, warm mid-tone strokes; add touches of muted green-brown where vegetation appears. The landscape is atmospheric and soft; a light touch is essential.
09
Final adjustments and glazing
Step back and assess value relationships. The face should be the brightest warm light; the red should sing without overpowering. If needed, darken the background slightly more or add a thin, cool glaze over shadowed areas to enhance depth. Add final subtle highlights to the headdress and jewelry. Soften any harsh transitions in the white fabric with a dry brush or delicate blending.

where studies of this painting go wrong

The face is luminous and serene—resist the urge to over-shadow or make her expression stern. The soft modeling of her cheek and the gentle placement of the eyes create her calm dignity; this is easily lost with heavy-handed shadow.
The red cloak is vivid but not garish. If your red reads as hot or artificial, it will flatten the composition and make the pale face seem washed out. Temper it with Umber and let it sit behind the white; it should feel like a secondary shape, not a shout.
The fountain and background are easy to overthink. They are landscape accessories, not main attractions. Keep them soft, warm, and subordinate; if they become too detailed or too dark, they will pull the viewer's eye away from the figure.
The white fabric must have volume and dimensionality. Treat it as a sculptural form with folds and shadows, not as a flat white shape. Without subtle shadow and edge variation, the dress will look pasted on rather than draped.

measured difficulty