Jan Toorop (1858-1928)

In 1885 Toorop met Annie Hall, an English girl studying french and music in Brussels. The couple married in 1886. He painted several impressionist works with Annie as his model. These paintings resemble in style, the palette knife technique and in atmosphere the early works by James Ensor whom Toorop knew from his time in Belgium (1883-1885). Besides the present painting two other versions of Dame en blanche exist; a subject which intrigued the artist throughout the years 1885-1886 (Annie Hall at Lissadell, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam from 1885 and Woman in white, Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Ghent).
Toorop represented Annie preferably in white, paying no special attention to the face of the woman. She always seems lost in thoughts.
See colour illustration