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Notes
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An old man writes by the glow of a candle; it appears to be the only source of light in the darkened room. A collection of framed prints and drawings crowded on the wall is barely visible. Wide cracks caused by paint shrinkage run across the canvas, revealing the white ground and making the details of the composition hard to decipher. Jean Charles Joseph Drucker, the previous owner of the painting, referred to it as ‘The Philosopher’. The title might be the one given by Jozef Israëls, who was a friend of Drucker. The artist has drawn on a long tradition in Dutch art of depicting scholars in their studies. The subtle light effects are reminiscent of Rembrandt, an artist Israëls greatly admired and with whom he was often compared by critics.
Title
An Old Man writing by Candlelight
Date
about 1885-99
Medium
Oil on canvas
Measurements
H 65 x W 54.6 cm
Accession number
NG2713
Acquisition method
Presented by J.C.J. Drucker, 1910
Work type
Painting
The National Gallery, London
Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England
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