Where can I see Young Woman with a Candlestick, Old Woman and a Violin Player?

Young Woman with a Candlestick, Old Woman and a Violin Player is held by Statens Museum for Kunst.

What movement is Young Woman with a Candlestick, Old Woman and a Violin Player?

Young Woman with a Candlestick, Old Woman and a Violin Player is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Can I buy a print of Young Woman with a Candlestick, Old Woman and a Violin Player?

Museum-quality prints of Young Woman with a Candlestick, Old Woman and a Violin Player are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Young Woman with a Candlestick, Old Woman and a Violin Player

Gerard van Honthorst , 1630

Young Woman with a Candlestick, Old Woman and a Violin Player is an unspecified painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Gerard van Honthorst. It dates from 1630 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. Created in 1630, this oil painting presents an intimate interior scene illuminated by a single candle.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1630, this oil painting presents an intimate interior scene illuminated by a single candle. Three figures occupy the composition: a young woman holding the light source, an older woman seated nearby, and a violinist absorbed in his performance. The surrounding darkness accentuates the warm glow on the faces, establishing a quiet, contemplative atmosphere.

Subject & Meaning

The work juxtaposes generations and activities within a modest domestic setting. The youthful figure, clutching the candlestick, supplies the illumination that reveals the older woman's composed presence and the musician’s focused concentration. The arrangement suggests themes of familial intimacy, the passage of time, and the subtle interplay between visual and auditory arts.

Technique & Style

The artist employs a dramatic chiaroscuro, a hallmark of the Dutch Golden Age, to model forms through stark contrasts of light and shadow. The candle’s flickering radiance creates soft highlights on flesh while deepening the surrounding gloom, a technique inspired by Caravaggio’s tenebrism. Precise brushwork renders textures of fabric and instrument, enhancing the scene’s realism.

History & Provenance

Painted by Gerard van Honthorst, a Dutch painter noted for nocturnal scenes and known in Rome as Gherardo delle Notti, the canvas reflects his Italian training and Caravaggesque influence. After remaining in private collections, it entered the holdings of Denmark’s Statens Museum for Kunst, where it is currently displayed as part of the museum’s Dutch Golden Age holdings.

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Artist & collection

Artist

Gerard van Honthorst

Gerard "Gerrit" van Honthorst (4 November 1592 – 27 April 1656) was a Dutch Golden Age painter who became known for his depiction of artificially lit scenes, eventually receiving the Italian nickname Gherardo delle Notti ("Gerard of the…