Artwork
Old woman reading
Old woman reading is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jan Lievens. It dates from 1629 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting portrays an elderly woman absorbed in reading, a common genre scene in Dutch Golden Age art that emphasizes quiet domestic contemplation.
The painting portrays an elderly woman absorbed in reading, a common genre scene in Dutch Golden Age art that emphasizes quiet domestic contemplation. Lievens captures the subject with careful attention to gesture and expression, using oil on panel to convey texture and depth. The work belongs to the genre of everyday interior scenes, reflecting contemporary interests in moral and intellectual pursuits among women.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in oil paint on a wooden panel, measuring 78 cm in height by 68 cm in width. Rendered circa 1629, it exemplifies Lievens' characteristic handling of chiaroscuro and naturalistic facial expression, conveying the quiet intensity of an aged sitter absorbed in reading. The composition is tightly framed, emphasizing the sitter's furrowed brow and the delicate rendering of skin texture, while the subdued background reinforces the intimate, genre-focused narrative typical of Dutch painting of the period.
History & Provenance
Old woman reading is an oil-on-panel painting by Jan Lievens dated 1629. It is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it remains located. The sources document the work's inception year and current institutional ownership but do not provide details on its commission, earlier owners, or intermediate provenance.
The sources document the work's inception year and current institutional ownership but do not provide details on its commission, earlier owners, or intermediate provenance.
Overview
Old woman reading is a 1629 oil painting by Jan Lievens, a Dutch painter associated with Rembrandt.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Lievens (24 October 1607 – 4 June 1674) was a Dutch Golden Age painter who was associated with his close contemporary Rembrandt, a year older, in the early parts of their careers.
