Cittadina Fiamenga in abito di Festa

A coloured print of a woman, entitled, 'Cittadina Fiamenga in abito di Festa' and inscribed, 'Si vendono da Arnoldo Van Westerhout in Roma a S. Ignatio S. perm.', numbered 939, numbers 923 and 9 have been crossed through, Caricature Pittoresche di Diverse Attitudini di Varie Figure, 1687.

The woman is wearing a red dress with her skirt pinned up. On her head is a white cap with a black veil over it. On her forehead is a choupette. She has put her hands in a muff, which could contain several little pockets on the inside for the keeping of small necessities and scent.

Arnold van Westerhout (1651-1725) was an engraver, draughtsman and publisher who joined the guild of St. Luke in Antwerp as a painter in 1673. He went to Venice in 1679 and to Rome in 1681, where he stayed at the house of Cornelis Bloemaert for four years. He stayed in Florence in 1691 and 1692. His brother, Balthasar van Westerhout, was also an engraver.

British Museum Website
<http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/search.aspx?searchText=arnold+van+westerhout> (07-01-2014).
British Museum Website; ref. nr.: 1850,0223.335.