Soldier lighting a candle.

A soldier lighting a candle was one of the simplest and most effective compositions in the Caravaggist repertoire—a single figure, a flame, and the play of shadow. Stom’s 1630 version in the National Museum in Warsaw captures the mundane act with monumental dignity. Such genre-like military subjects were popular with collectors who appreciated technical virtuosity in rendering firelight effects. Stom's mastery of candlelight effects was among the most technically accomplished of all Caravaggist painters, surpassing many of his contemporaries in the subtlety of his graduated shadows and the warmth of his artificial illumination.

The moment of ignition creates a small concentrated burst of light that models the soldier’s face and hands while his armor catches metallic reflections. The background is entirely consumed by shadow.