An Old Man Seated at a Table, His Head Resting on His Right Hand (recto); The Healing of Tobit (verso)

1650

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Dominant colour

An Old Man Seated at a Table, His Head Resting on His Right Hand (recto); The Healing of Tobit (verso) is a 1650 by Ferdinand Bol, a Baroque work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Ferdinand Bol
When & what style?: 1650 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

You see an old man sitting alone at a table, his head propped on his hand, lost in thought. The room is dim, with light streaming in from a window behind him. This drawing was likely a study—Ferdinand Bol made many like it. He worked in Rembrandt’s studio, and you can spot the teacher’s influence in the way the light carves the man’s face from the shadows. The other side of the sheet shows a biblical scene, proving how quickly artists switched between ideas. To see more of this quiet, shadowy style, look up chiaroscuro.

The story of this work

Overview

Ferdinand Bol was one of the most prominent pupils and followers of Rembrandt van Rijn, for whom drawing played a central role in his workshop practice and teaching. This image of a man within a darkened interior before a window—perhaps a scholar or philosopher—is similar to compositions of saints as well as portraits that Rembrandt made in the 1630s and 1640s. Bol was quite interested in the theme, portraying similar figures in at least two paintings, ten drawings, and four etchings. Like Rembrandt, he employed an expressive but controlled use of ink wash, emphasizing the psychological…

Did you know?

Ferdinand Bol’s subtle and controlled use of ink wash reveals a large trunk on the floor, while retaining bright highlights on the figure, book, and globe on the windowsill.

Read the full account in the museum source.