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Follower of Joos van Cleve, 'Anna van Spangen, Wife of Adriaen van der Goes', 1543

About the work

A dark-haired lady wears a white headdress and a dark grey dress with a black yoke and brown fur linings in the sleeves. She is evidently well off: the neckline of her chemise is decorated with golden cords and rosettes, and she wears a gold chain and rings.

This is Anna van Spangen, identifiable from the lozenge-shaped coat of arms in the top right, which includes the shields of the van der Goes, van Spangen and Goudt families. Anna was the daughter of Laurens Pietersz (from an illegitimate branch of the van Spangen family) and Maria Goudt. In 1530 she married Adriaan van der Goes, who became Advocate of Holland in 1544.

This picture may well have been one of a pair showing husband and wife – a portrait of Adriaan, apparently dated 1543 and giving his age as 38, is known from various copies.

Key facts

Full title
Anna van Spangen, Wife of Adriaen van der Goes
Artist
Follower of Joos van Cleve
Artist dates
active about 1511; died 1541/2
Date made
1543
Medium and support
oil on wood
Dimensions
46.5 × 41.2 cm
Inscription summary
Dated
Acquisition credit
Bequeathed by Miss Martha Brown, 1897
Inventory number
NG1652
Location
On loan: Long Loan to the Victoria & Albert Museum (2024 - 2027), Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK
Collection
Main Collection

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.

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