ATTRIBUTED TO GODFRIED SCHALCKEN (MADE 1643-1706 THE HAGUE)

PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION

ATTRIBUTED TO GODFRIED SCHALCKEN (MADE 1643-1706 THE HAGUE)
Old Woman and Boy with Candles (copy in reverse after Peter Paul Rubens)
oil on canvas
43 x 34.5 cm

Provenance: Private collection, London

Godfried Schalcken (1643-1706) Dutch painter who specialised in genre scenes, portraits, and candlelit subjects. He was born in Made, North Brabant, in the Netherlands, and trained in Dordrecht under Samuel van Hoogstraten and Gerard Dou. Later, he moved to Amsterdam and became a pupil of Gerard ter Borch.

Schalcken was known for his ability to capture the effects of light and shadow, especially the flickering light of candles, which became a signature element in many of his works. He was also skilled in depicting the textures and details of fabrics, such as lace and silk, which were often prominent in his paintings.

An old woman gazes ahead, shielding her eyes from the candlelight, while the boy behind her holds his candle, ready to be lit. The panel is painted in the style of Caravaggio, whose work Rubens had seen in Italy. This style is characterised by its exciting effects of light and unpolished naturalism.

Rubens did not make this painting to be sold; instead he retained possession of it. He probably used it as study material for the pupils in his studio.Click here to share: