Portrait of a Moravian Woman

Born in Bruges, Pietersz was probably the son of an Italian painter working in that city. In 1574 he settled in northwestern Moravia at Moravská Trebová, where he later died. According to the inventory of his property made at his death, which is preserved in the local archives, he painted portraits in miniature.

This large miniature was formerly attributed to Nicholas Hilliard and was said to be a portrait of Mary Tudor (1496–1533), sister of Henry VIII of England, queen of Louis XII of France, and subsequently duchess of Suffolk. The recent frame was decorated with the arms of England at the top to accord with this identification. However, neither the attribution nor the identification is possible.

The miniature may be compared in style and presentation with one of similar size in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (no. P.168-1910; 10 5/8 x 7 3/4 in. [270 x 197 mm]). That full-length portrait of Anna Cernohorská of Boskovice, aged eleven, is inscribed and dated 1589 and is attributed to Pieter Pietersz (Podává K. Svoboda, "Podobizna Anny Cernohorské z Boskovic v Londyne," Památky archeologické 35 [1926], pp. 464–67, pI. 167). Unfortunately the present miniature lacks the coat of arms or inscription for which the frame attached to the plinth at right was doubtless intended.

[2015; adapted from Reynolds and Baetjer 1996]

The surface is abraded, and silver metallic paint used for details of the costume has tarnished. When released from its old mount, the cockled and creased vellum relaxed. The miniature was provided with a spacer and a backing of acid-free ragboard. The frame was repaired, and the coat of arms (see Catalogue Entry) removed.
[2015; adapted from Reynolds and Baetjer 1996]

Mary Clark Thompson, New York and Canandaigua, New York (until d. 1923)

New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "European Miniatures in The Metropolitan Museum of Art," November 5, 1996–January 5, 1997, no. 3.

Graham Reynolds with the assistance of Katharine Baetjer. European Miniatures in The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Exh. cat., The Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York, 1996, pp. 68–69, no. 3, colorpl. 3 and ill. p. 68.