Old Woman in an Armchair 1629 - 1639

Curator: Jacob Backer created this piece, “Old Woman in an Armchair,” sometime between 1629 and 1639. It is now a highlight here at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: Immediately, I’m struck by the somber mood. The dark clothing and plain background emphasize her aged face and the stark white of her cap and ruff. It's quite intimate. Curator: That intimacy is interesting considering portraiture in the Dutch Golden Age was often about status and wealth. But Backer here seems less interested in idealizing the sitter and more in capturing a specific individual, reflecting perhaps a growing mercantile society valuing individuals? Editor: Perhaps. Though I see the portrait also as capturing a time and place for older women, who frequently acted as caregivers for communities due to high death rates of parents at younger ages in Europe at this point. In effect they represented generational knowledge during rapid expansion of urbanization and trade. Curator: Yes, you see the echoes of a rapidly changing Amsterdam here too; one experiencing unprecedented urbanization, global trade, and scientific inquiry. A move toward what we recognize as modern social structures can be glimpsed within its visual culture, but her simple directness subverts that. It speaks to tradition and a older time. Editor: Agreed. Even the realism itself. There's no flattering here, no hiding of wrinkles. It is almost confrontational to me that Backer demands we face and reckon with an aging person and her station. What statement do you think Backer was attempting? Curator: One statement is his facility with oil paint. His ability to create textures, from the folds of the clothing to the delicate skin around her eyes. The way he captures light is beautiful in this painting and that cannot be underemphasized. Editor: Agreed, so from a distance one thinks "somber elder" yet close study speaks to volumes of artistic sophistication in its brush strokes combined with generational shifts happening that elevated these female figures during this period. I love the balance! Curator: Backer really encapsulated not just one person, but her significance to culture. Editor: Indeed. He has prompted me to re-think some commonly held cultural assumptions!