Old Woman Sleeping (copy)
Original title: Old Woman Sleeping (copy)
kurzbeschreibung
An old woman wearing a head covering sleeps in this print, which imitates Rembrandt's etching technique. An unknown engraver made the undated copy after a study by Rembrandt. The woman's head and face are the focus, set against a dark background.
Description
With closed eyes and relaxed features, the old woman is shown with her head tilted slightly to one side. A turban-like cloth and a garment full of folds, modeled through numerous lines, are visible. The background remains dark and is worked with diagonal hatching, creating a calm, intimate mood. Varying line weights and directions produce the gray tones and emphasize the texture of the clothing as well as the facial features.
Context
In the 1630s Rembrandt made many etchings of everyday scenes and studies of old people. This copy is undated but likely dates from the 17th century. Such imitations often originated in workshops or as practice pieces after Rembrandt's models. The motif of the sleeping old woman was very popular in 17th-century Dutch art and often stood for transience or rest.
Impact
A quiet, pensive mood emanates from this etching, brought about by the woman's closed eyes and the dark surroundings. The fine linework draws the gaze to the facial features and wrinkles, which emphasize the sitter's age. The arrangement feels intimate and concentrated, without narrative distraction.
Technique
In this etching the lines were scratched into an acid-resistant ground and then bitten. Parallel, fine hatching creates the tonal values and the three-dimensional effect of the figure. The copy was presumably made in copperplate printing, with the plate engraved after Rembrandt's model.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)