Artwork
A Young Woman Contemplating a Skull
A Young Woman Contemplating a Skull is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Alessandro Casolani. It dates from 1596 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Technique & Style
Executed in 1591, this work is an oil painting on canvas. The composition features a young woman depicted in contemplation of a human skull, a subject matter characteristic of vanitas themes. The physical support measures 62.9 cm in height and 44.7 cm in width.
The piece is classified as a painting and is currently held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
History & Provenance
Alessandro Casolani painted A Young Woman Contemplating a Skull in 1591, an oil on canvas work measuring 62.
Alessandro Casolani painted A Young Woman Contemplating a Skull in 1591, an oil on canvas work measuring 62.9 cm by 44.7 cm. The painting entered the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it remains on display. Its provenance traces to the artist’s creation in 1591 before joining the museum’s holdings.
The painting is held by Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen, where it is inventoried as accession SMB 699.
It was shown at the exhibition Memento Mori: Vanitas in the Northern Baroque (Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen, 2016–2017), where it appeared under its Danish title En ung kvinde betragter et dødningehoved.
Overview
A Young Woman Contemplating a Skull is a 1596 painting by Alessandro Casolani, an Italian artist. The work is executed on canvas and is held at the Statens Museum for Kunst.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a young woman lost in thought as she gazes at a skull, holding a rosary in her hand. Her somber expression and the dark background evoke a contemplative and melancholic atmosphere, inviting reflection on mortality.
Artist & collection
Artist
Alessandro Casolani (1552–1606), also called Alessandro della Torre, was an Italian painter of the late-Renaissance period, active mainly in Siena.
