Artwork
Old Woman tearing at her Hair
Old Woman tearing at her Hair is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Jan Matsys. It dates from 1553 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Overview
Jan Matsys, a Flemish painter of the mid‑16th century, completed the oil work *Old Woman Tearing at Her Hair* in 1553. The canvas presents an elderly figure caught in a moment of acute agitation, her hands grasping her own grey hair. The composition is anchored by a stark, dark backdrop that isolates the woman, emphasizing her expression and gesture.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is an aged woman dressed in a loose white blouse tied with a bow at the neck and a dark green skirt. Her face, though weary, carries a faint smile, while her bare arms clutch her hair with both hands, suggesting a sudden shock or emotional turmoil. The ambiguous expression invites speculation about personal grief, madness, or a moralizing tableau common in genre scenes.
Technique & Style
Matsys employs a soft, blended brushwork to render the skin’s texture and the subtle folds of the blouse, while the chiaroscuro treatment—contrasting bright illumination on the face and hands with a deep, enveloping background—creates a dramatic focus. The handling of light and shadow aligns the work with Mannerist tendencies, emphasizing elegance and tension over strict naturalism.
History & Provenance
After its creation, the painting entered various private collections before being acquired by the Museo del Prado in Madrid, where it remains part of the museum’s Flemish Renaissance holdings. Its documented presence in the Prado’s catalogue confirms its attribution to Matsys and its dating to the early 1550s.
Context
Matsys is better known for history paintings, landscapes, and nudes, yet this genre piece reflects the broader Flemish interest in everyday subjects infused with moral or emotional overtones. The work’s sensual undercurrents echo the influence of the Fontainebleau school, which introduced a refined, sometimes erotic, sensibility to Northern European art during the period.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Matsys or Jan Massijs (c.1510 – 8 October 1575) was a Flemish Renaissance painter known for his history paintings, genre scenes and landscapes.
