“She almost disappeared in her work and that is how I painted her,” said painter Willem den Ouden (1928) two weeks ago when I interviewed him about his encounters with Jakoba Mulder. Yesterday I finally went to see the painting myself at the Amsterdam Museum where it is currently part of the “1001 women in the twentieth century” exhibition. Den Ouden painted her in 1970/1971 surrounded by her important works and an inseparable pack of cigarettes. He considers it his best portrait assignment. Apart from Den Ouden’s amazing memory, I am also impressed by the way he depicted her: modest, intense, thoughtful.