Gammel kone med blokfløjte i hænderne; halvfigur i oval. 1609 - 1670

Curator: This captivating piece is attributed to Karel van Mander III, dating roughly from 1609 to 1670. Titled "Old Woman with Recorder in Hand," it’s currently housed at the SMK, the National Gallery of Denmark. Editor: My goodness, what an intense portrait. The raw emotion captured in that face hits you immediately. It’s as if her story is etched into every line and wrinkle. Curator: The use of sanguine pencil gives it this warm, almost sepia-toned effect. Observe how Van Mander captures the texture of skin, the weight of the fabric in her turban... Editor: And that wistful look. Is she remembering a forgotten melody, perhaps a love lost to time? The oval composition almost frames her as if in a forgotten locket. Curator: Oval frames were a convention of the period for portraiture, certainly. The underdrawing technique lends a sense of depth and movement to the work, almost as if it’s a fleeting memory taking form. Editor: The positioning of the recorder is peculiar. Held so passively—it speaks of both artistry and a quiet resignation. Does she play, or has the music faded? The hands, those gnarled, expressive hands, tell a story all their own. Curator: It’s fascinating to speculate, isn’t it? From a formalist perspective, the portrait employs sophisticated chiaroscuro, drawing the eye to key areas of the face and hands and accentuating her wisdom-worn visage. There is also great attention to form and texture that breathes palpable life into a rudimentary drawing medium like pencil and chalk. Editor: I see your formal precision, but for me, it's her humanity that endures. It evokes that poignant universality of age, experience, memory… and the quiet music we all carry within us. What begins as form culminates as feeling. Curator: Precisely. Thank you for those resonant reflections. I suppose what I most admire is the economy with which Van Mander evokes such deep human connection, allowing the image to breathe long after we've glanced away.