Artwork
Old man with a beard
Old man with a beard is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Adriaen Brouwer. It dates from 1625 and is held in the collection of the National Museum of Ancient Art.
About this work
Overview
Old man with a beard is a 1625 oil painting by Adriaen Brouwer, a Flemish artist of the Dutch Golden Age. The work is characterized by its detailed, expressive portrayal of a senior figure set against a dark background.
Subject & Meaning
The painting focuses on an elderly man with a white beard and hair, dressed in a brown shirt and white collar. His downward gaze and serious, closed-mouth expression convey a sense of introspection or solemnity.
Technique & Style
Brouwer employed oil paint to achieve a rich, textured appearance. The use of chiaroscuro—a strong contrast between light and dark—adds depth and three-dimensionality to the subject, emphasizing the intricacies of the old man’s face.
History & Provenance
Created in 1625, the painting is now part of the collection at the National Museum of Ancient Art. Brouwer’s work during this period often explored lower-class figures and expressive tronies (studies of facial expressions).
Artist & collection
Artist
Adriaen Brouwer (c. 1605 – January 1638) was a Flemish painter active in Flanders and the Dutch Republic in the first half of the 17th century. Brouwer was an important innovator of genre painting through his vivid…
Studienkopf eines Mannes
"Old Pat," The Independent Beggar
Head of an Old Man
Portrait of an Old Man with Beret
Smiling Old Man (Abraham Grapheus ? )
Portrait of a young gentleman, formerly believed to be a self-portrait
Portretul unui bărbat cu barba căruntă
Portrait of an Old Man
Portret de bătrân
Head of an Old Man