François Verwilt (1623-1691) - Attributed, Woman on the Shore, François Verwilt (1623-1691) - Attributed, Woman on the Shore

26 x 21.5 cm

The Rotterdam painter François Verwilt was a follower of Cornelis von Poelenburch (1594/95–1667), whose paintings of nude nymphs in landscapes were very popular.

A young woman sits chained, half-naked, on the seashore, desperately waving at a large sailboat. The woman wears a white cloth and a golden cloak, a pearl jewel on her right wrist and an earring on her ear. Light blue flags with a yellow stripe fly on the ship's masts. The young woman is certainly of high status, perhaps a princess. It is unclear whether she is trying to call for help or has been abandoned by the ship's crew. The scene is certainly inspired by the myth of Perseus and Andromeda, but it has to tell a different story. It can be a scene from a novel or a play. The type of head of the woman in this image is very close to that of François Verwilt, justifying the attribution to this author.
Oil on wood
26 x 21.5 cm