Public domain
A woman sewing, and a man watching her
From the collection of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
On the left, a woman sits outside on the ground. She wears a Portuguese blouse with a V-neck and long sleeves (hatte) over a long wrap skirt (redda). On her lap lies an elongated cushion (or rolled-up cloth). She may be sewing. Her wavy hair is combed back and likely pinned up in a bun (condé). To the right in the foreground, a young man stands watching. He wears a knee-length Portuguese pleated skirt, a tattered shirt (kamisaya) with long sleeves full of tears and holes. Both figures are likely Eurasian; the man could be a toepas (Eurasian) from Jaffna. Sheet 92 from a sketchbook with 117 sheets.
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s own descriptionCredit lineA woman sewing, and a man watching her. 1662. Esaias Boursse. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Public domain.