Artwork
Old Woman Reading
Old Woman Reading is an oil painting by the Biedermeier artist Adriaan Meulemans. It dates from 1816 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
According to the catalogue record, the composition includes an old woman, a candlestick, a book, and glasses as its depicted elements.
Adriaan Meulemans's 1816 oil painting Old Woman Reading belongs to the tradition of genre art, depicting a quiet domestic scene centered on an elderly woman absorbed in reading. According to the catalogue record, the composition includes an old woman, a candlestick, a book, and glasses as its depicted elements. The candlestick suggests the scene is illuminated by candlelight, a common motif in Dutch genre painting that evokes intimacy, quiet contemplation, and the passage of time.
The presence of eyeglasses reinforces the act of focused reading, while the book itself, the central object of the woman's attention, signals literacy, devotion, or scholarly pursuit as themes. Together, these attributes frame the work as a meditation on solitary study and the dignity of later life, rendered in a modest panel format suited to private viewing.
Technique & Style
Adriaan Meulemans executed Old Woman Reading in 1816 using oil paint applied to a panel support. The work measures 25 cm in height and 20.4 cm in width, presenting a compact format typical of intimate genre scenes. Stylistically, the painting depicts an elderly woman engaged in reading, accompanied by specific attributes including a book, glasses, and a candlestick. These elements are rendered within the genre art tradition, focusing on a domestic moment of quiet study.
History & Provenance
The work was painted in 1816 by Adriaan Meulemans and is documented with its dimensions as 25 cm high and 20.4 cm wide on panel.
It entered the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam through the Adriaan van der Hoop bequest, where it has remained in the museum’s collection. The painting depicts an old woman reading by candlelight, aligning with its recorded genre and subject matter.
Overview
Adriaan Meulemans' "Old Woman Reading," an oil painting from 1816, captures a quiet moment of domestic life. This genre scene portrays an elderly woman absorbed in a book, illuminated solely by the soft glow of a candle. The artwork is part of the collection at the Rijksmuseum, offering a glimpse into early 19th-century everyday existence through its intimate portrayal.
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