An Old Woman with a Book and Spectacles

An Old Woman with a Book and Spectacles from 1657 by Nicolaes Maes is an early genre work in the Rembrandtesque manner, depicting an elderly reader. The spectacles and book suggest literacy and learning, while the aged face demonstrates Maes's early skill in characterful portraiture. Maes's early genre scenes, executed shortly after leaving Rembrandt's studio around 1654, show the master's influence in their warm chiaroscuro and concentrated psychological attention. These intimate domestic in...

The dramatic Rembrandtesque lighting illuminates the old woman's face and book, creating strong chiaroscuro that gives the intimate scene atmospheric depth.