Old Woman Reading, Probably the Prophetess Anna
1631
unspecified
From the collection of Rijksmuseum
1631
unspecified
From the collection of Rijksmuseum
Old Woman Reading, Probably the Prophetess Anna is a 1631 unspecified by Unknown, a Dutch Golden Age work, depicting Reading, held at Rijksmuseum.
An old woman sits bent over a book, her wrinkled hands holding the pages open. A single light shines from behind her, bright on the paper and her fingers but leaving her face in shadow. The artist used thick, rough paint to shape her hands—you can almost feel the texture of her skin and the book’s pages. Some think Rembrandt’s mother posed for this, though we don’t know for sure. The quiet focus makes it feel like she’s been reading for hours. To see how light and shadow shape a face, look up *chiaroscuro*.
Your cart is empty
Explore artworks →
