Portrait of Susanne de Vos, the Painter’s Third Daughter, 1627

About the Work

This charming portrait of a child shows Susanna de Vos, the artist's little daughter, who was baptised in Antwerp on 24 September 1626. Dressed like a miniature adult in her Sunday best with a long apron, the baby girl reaches out towards the sweetmeats spread out on the tray of her child's chair. Cornelis de Vos, who was called upon by Rubens on several occasions to assist with large commissions, specialised in portraits of children from the middle classes, in particular during the 1620s. These likenesses were mostly commissioned by well-to-do private citizens.