Lukeva nainen
unspecified
From the collection of Finnish National Gallery
unspecified
From the collection of Finnish National Gallery
Lukeva nainen is an unspecified by Rembrandt van Rijn, depicting Reading, held at Finnish National Gallery.
This painting shows a person wearing a dark hat and white collar, holding an open book. Their face is serious, and the dark background makes the light on their face and hands stand out. The book looks old, and the person’s hands are resting on the pages. The lighting focuses on the face and hands, which makes them look almost three-dimensional. This style is called *chiaroscuro*—a technique that uses strong light and dark contrasts. Next, check out *chiaroscuro* to see how artists like this one used shadows to create drama.
Dutch artists in Rembrandt’s day often made small metal etchings and oil paintings that feel close-up and quiet.
See the richer artist page
