Portrait of an Old Lady, Possibly Elisabeth Bas

Long attributed to Rembrandt himself and known as "Portrait of Elisabeth Bas," this painting was reattributed to Ferdinand Bol in the twentieth century after technical analysis revealed it to be the work of Rembrandt's most accomplished pupil. Bol studied in Rembrandt's Amsterdam workshop in the late 1630s and absorbed his master's technique so thoroughly that distinguishing their hands remains challenging. The sitter's identity as Elisabeth Bas, wife of a naval officer, is also now considered uncertain.

Rich impasto in the white collar and cuffs against the dark costume demonstrates the Rembrandtesque technique Bol mastered in his teacher's workshop. Warm light models the elderly woman's face with sympathetic naturalism, while the hands are rendered with characteristic Bol precision.