Portret van een oude lezende vrouw 1738 - 1765

"Portret van een oude lezende vrouw" (Portrait of an Old Woman Reading), is a mezzotint by James McArdell created between 1738 and 1765. This artwork depicts an aged woman engrossed in reading, her face illuminated by the soft light of a book held in her hands. McArdell’s mezzotint, a printmaking process that uses tonal variations, captures the intimate and reflective moment with a sense of depth and texture. This piece, housed in the Rijksmuseum, offers a glimpse into the artistry of McArdell, a prominent figure in the world of 18th-century printmaking, known for his masterful reproduction of paintings.