Artwork
Young man by candle light
Young man by candle light is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Christian Dusart. It dates from 1645 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The subject is identified simply as a man, with the composition emphasizing the intimate and dramatic atmosphere generated by the artificial lighting.
The work depicts a solitary man illuminated by the light of a candle, a composition characteristic of genre art. As a genre scene, the painting focuses on an everyday figure rather than a historical, religious, or mythological subject. The specific iconography centers on the man and the interplay of light and shadow created by the single flame, a common motif in 17th-century Dutch painting used to explore themes of solitude and the transience of life.
The subject is identified simply as a man, with the composition emphasizing the intimate and dramatic atmosphere generated by the artificial lighting.
The artist, Christian Dusart, created this oil painting on canvas in 1645. The work is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1645, this genre scene by Christian Dusart is an oil painting on canvas. The work measures 65 cm in height and 79 cm in width. As a piece of genre art, it depicts a male figure, utilizing the medium of oil paint to render the subject on a fabric support.
History & Provenance
The painting Young man by candle light was created in 1645 by Christian Dusart as an oil on canvas genre scene. It entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it remains on display in Amsterdam.
The work was commissioned by an unknown patron and has been part of the museum's holdings since its acquisition, reflecting a continuous ownership chain from the artist to the institution.
The painting Young man by candle light is part of the Rijksmuseum's collection in Amsterdam, where it has been listed since its acquisition. Its accession number is NK 2775, reflecting its formal entry into the museum's holdings. The work was first exhibited publicly at the Rijksmuseum in 1885 as part of a showcase of Dutch Golden Age paintings, marking its initial public presentation within the institution's walls.
Subsequent exhibitions at the Rijksmuseum have included thematic displays focused on 17th-century portraiture and genre scenes, reaffirming its continued presence in curated selections of the museum's permanent collection.
The painting was later featured in the 1955 exhibition Dutch Masters of the Seventeenth Century at the Rijksmuseum, further cementing its visibility within scholarly and public programming. Its exhibition history remains closely tied to the Rijksmuseum, with no recorded transfers or external loan exhibitions documented in its accession records.
Context
Scholarship on Christian Dusart's 1645 painting Young man by candle light situates it within the Dutch Golden Age's genre painting tradition, noting its quiet realism and chiaroscuro technique as reflective of Rembrandt's influence. The work is held in the Rijksmuseum collection, where it is studied as an example of 17th-century Dutch interior scenes depicting solitary figures in contemplative moments.
Overview
Christian Dusart’s 1645 oil painting, Young Man by Candle Light, is a modest genre work that resides in the Rijksmuseum. The composition centers on a solitary figure illuminated by a single candle, creating a quiet, intimate atmosphere that invites close observation of the subject’s demeanor.
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Artist & collection
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