Unforgettable. Women Artists from Antwerp to Amsterdam, 1600-1750 is now on view in Ghent, where it opened on 7 March 2026, following its earlier presentation at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C. The exhibition brings together more than 150 works by early modern women artists from the Low Countries and highlights the richness and variety of their artistic practices. We are proud […]
Rethinking the early modern art market
This NWO-funded VIDI-project measures the impact of women on the Dutch art market in the seventeenth century by studying household consumption. Let’s challenge the persistent assumption that the art market was dominated by men.
Judith Noorman presents plenary lecture at Codart 27
On Monday March 15, Judith Noorman wil present a plenary lecture at Codart 27 conference in Ghent: Telling Her Story: Female Creators, Collaborators and Collectors. Judith’s lecture is about women as consumers, collectors, and connoisseurs. The day will be chaired by Hanna Klarenbeek and among the other speakers are Katlijne Van der Stighelen, Andaleeb Badiee Banta, and Frederica Van Dam.
Maria de Knuijt in the spotlight again!
We are grateful for the continued attention to our research on Maria de Knuijt, which allows us to reach a wide, non-academic audience. New insights into Johannes Vermeer’s clientele, presented in a recent article by Piet Bakker and Judith Noorman, have attracted interest in social and other public media. Recently, the Mauritshuis released a video for International Women’s Day, and Joke de Wolf […]
Master’s Students Create Magazine on Wendela Bicker
How do you interpret archival traces to uncover the life of a 17th-century woman? Three Master’s students took on that challenge during a tutorial led by Judith Noorman, resulting in a thorough and beautifully designed magazine about Wendela Bicker, the wife of Grand Pensionary Johan de Witt. For four weeks, students Kirsten van Tunen, Bente […]
The Woman Behind Vermeer: Publications and Podcast on Maria de Knuijt
In March 2023, during the Vermeer Symposium at the Rijksmuseum, Judith Noorman and Piet Bakker presented new research identifying Maria de Knuijt as Vermeer’s primary patron and protector. Their findings challenge the long-held assumption that the Delft collector Pieter van Ruijven was Vermeer’s main client. By uncovering new documents and reexamining earlier sources, Judith and Piet show a different picture: it was Van Ruijven’s wife, Maria […]
New Perspective on the Portrait of Geertruida den Dubbelde
During her internship with The Female Impact and the Rijksmuseum, Anne-Linde Ruiter explored the pendant portrait of Geertruida den Dubbelde, wife of Admiral Aert van Nes. Through close visual and archival analysis, combined with research into the roles of seafarers’ wives, Ruiter proposes a new interpretation of Den Dubbelde’s gesture and the maritime background in her portrait. Rather than a passive depiction […]
Reinterpreting Vermeer’s Lacemaker
Long thought to have been purchased by Pieter van Ruijven, Vermeer’s painting “The Lacemaker” was probably acquired by his wife, Maria de Knuijt, who had a much closer relationship with Vermeer. In an interview for Mister Motley and based on new archival documents, Judith Noorman demonstrates that this shifted perspective demands a new interpretation of the painting’s meaning. Read the complete […]
‘Elck heeft sijn eijgen pop’
Judith Noorman contributed an essay to Campaspe Talks Back. Women Who Made a Difference in Early Modern Art (eds. Lieke van Deinsen, Bert Schepers, Marjan Sterckx, Hans Vlieghe, Bert Watteeuw). The book book pays homage to prof. dr. Katlijne Van der Stighelen who recently retired at Leuven University. Judith’s essay is about women dollmakers and about dolls as social signifiers. Title: ‘Elck heeft sijn eijgen pop’: Dollmaker […]
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