Who painted An Old Lady with a Book?

An Old Lady with a Book was painted by Rembrandt van Rijn in 1637.

Where can I see An Old Lady with a Book?

An Old Lady with a Book is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is An Old Lady with a Book?

An Old Lady with a Book is associated with Baroque.

Can I buy a print of An Old Lady with a Book?

Museum-quality prints of An Old Lady with a Book are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

An Old Lady with a Book

Rembrandt van Rijn , 1637

An Old Lady with a Book is an oil painting by the Baroque artist Rembrandt van Rijn. It dates from 1637 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:lower left: Rembr[an]dt. / f.1[63]7.

About this work

Technique & Style

The formal composition includes the sitter with a book, chair, and glasses, but further stylistic analysis is unsupported by the available documentation.

The painting is executed in oil on canvas, a medium and support commonly used for portraiture in the Dutch Golden Age. The canvas measures 109.7 by 91.5 centimeters. As a portrait from 1637, the handling and brushwork align with Rembrandt's mature period, though no specific details of impasto or surface texture are recorded in the sources.

The formal composition includes the sitter with a book, chair, and glasses, but further stylistic analysis is unsupported by the available documentation.

History & Provenance

Painted by Rembrandt van Rijn in 1637, the work bears his signature and no evidence of a specific commission. Its earliest recorded owner was Johan van der Marck of Leiden (d. 1770), from whose estate sale in 1773 the painting entered a series of Parisian collections, passing through Jean-Baptiste-Pierre Le Brun, Alexandre-Joseph Paillet, the marquis de Brunoy, and others, before reaching London with Charles-Alexandre de Calonne. Sold in 1795, it was acquired by John Julius Angerstein, who immediately gifted it to Sir Thomas Lawrence.

Later owners included John Allnutt and Alfred Louis Lebeuf de Montgermont. The painting eventually entered the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., as part of the Andrew W. Mellon collection, where it remains.

Overview

An Old Lady with a Book is an oil on canvas painting depicting an elderly woman engrossed in reading. Seated in a chair, she wears spectacles, and her countenance conveys a sense of gentleness. The artist employed a restrained palette, contributing to the work's overall tranquil atmosphere. The composition draws the viewer's attention to her face, which is rendered with particular care and detail.

Subject & Meaning

The artwork places significant emphasis on the sitter's face, which is meticulously rendered to convey an impression of kindness and wisdom. This detailed portrayal of individual expression, particularly in an elderly subject, represented a notable shift in artistic practice during the period. The act of reading further suggests a contemplative and learned character, inviting viewers to reflect on her inner life.

Context

The detailed and empathetic rendering of the old lady's face reflects a burgeoning interest in individual psychology within art of the era. This focused attention on capturing a specific human expression, moving beyond idealized or generalized representations, marked a significant development. Such intimate portraiture began to explore the inner world and unique character of its subjects, rather than merely their social status.