Who painted Study of an Old Woman?

Study of an Old Woman was painted by Matthijs Maris in 1855-01-01.

Where can I see Study of an Old Woman?

Study of an Old Woman is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Study of an Old Woman?

Study of an Old Woman is associated with Barbizon school.

Can I buy a print of Study of an Old Woman?

Museum-quality prints of Study of an Old Woman are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Study of an Old Woman

Matthijs Maris , 1855

Study of an Old Woman is an oil painting by the Barbizon school artist Matthijs Maris. It dates from 1855 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The work is a portrait of an elderly woman, rendered as a character study rather than a commissioned likeness.

The work is a portrait of an elderly woman, rendered as a character study rather than a commissioned likeness. The subject is identified by her white hair and the pronounced wrinkles of her face, features that anchor the painting in the tradition of Dutch studies of aged sitters, in which physiognomic detail conveys experience and the passage of time.

As a genre portrait, the painting focuses on the sitter's individuality rather than allegorical content; the oil-on-panel support and modest scale (31 by 36 cm) suit the intimate, observational character of such studies. The Rijksmuseum, where the work is held, treats it within this documentary tradition of Maris's early output.

No symbolic attributes, props, or emblematic objects are recorded in the sources, and the work is catalogued simply as a portrait depicting a woman, the elderly, wrinkles, and white hair.

Technique & Style

Study of an Old Woman is executed in oil paint on panel, a support consistent with the small-scale panel tradition Matthijs Maris favored early in his career. The work measures 31 cm in height by 36 cm in width, a modest format suited to a close, intimate portrait study. Stylistically, the painting focuses on the sitter's advanced age, with the depicted features including wrinkles and white hair rendered as central descriptive elements of the composition.

The genre is portraiture, and the handling is consistent with a study rather than a finished commission, emphasizing observational characterization of an elderly woman over elaborate setting or narrative.

The work is held in the Rijksmuseum, with an additional collection association to the Stedelijk Museum Zutphen.

History & Provenance

Study of an Old Woman is an oil painting by Matthijs Maris dated to 1855. The work is recorded as belonging to the collections of both the Rijksmuseum and the Stedelijk Museum Zutphen, with its location given as the Rijksmuseum. No further details about its commission, ownership chain, or creation history are documented in the available sources.

Overview

Matthijs Maris, a Dutch artist, painted Study of an Old Woman in 1855. This oil portrait captures an elderly woman with a focus on her aged features. The work represents an early period in Maris's career, before his later stylistic shifts. It is currently part of the collection at the Rijksmuseum, offering insight into his foundational artistic development.