Artwork
En gammel kone. Allegorisk fremstilling af hørelsen
En gammel kone. Allegorisk fremstilling af hørelsen is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Karel van Mander III. It dates from 1647 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. En gammel kone.
About this work
Overview
En gammel kone. Allegorisk fremstilling af hørelsen is an oil painting executed in 1647 by the Dutch‑Flemish artist Karel van Mander III. The work belongs to the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen and presents an allegorical personification of the sense of hearing.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is an elderly woman rendered with a solemn expression, her head adorned by a dark, feather‑trimmed headdress. She holds a small object, identified as a recorder, linking the composition to the auditory theme suggested by the title.
Technique & Style
Van Mander employs a restrained palette of deep shadows and muted highlights, creating a chiaroscuro effect that models the woman's face in three dimensions. The contrast between the dark background and the illuminated features draws the viewer’s attention to the delicate rendering of skin, fabric folds, and the instrument.
History & Provenance
Painted in the mid‑seventeenth century, the canvas entered the Statens Museum for Kunst’s holdings at an unspecified date, where it has been catalogued as part of the museum’s Dutch Baroque collection.
Context
During the 1640s, allegorical depictions of the five senses were a common motif in Northern European art, often used to convey moral or educational messages. Van Mander’s choice of an elderly woman to embody hearing reflects contemporary conventions that associated age with wisdom and sensory experience.
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