Old woman with a candle 1661

"Old Woman with a Candle" is a 1661 painting by the Dutch Golden Age master Gerrit Dou. The painting, currently housed in the Wallraf-Richartz Museum in Cologne, Germany, depicts an elderly woman holding a candle, her face illuminated by its warm glow. Dou's meticulous attention to detail and masterful use of chiaroscuro, the contrast between light and dark, is evident in the painting's rich texture and the interplay of shadows and highlights. The intimate portrait is a testament to Dou's talent for capturing the beauty of everyday life, emphasizing the quietude and introspection of his subject.