Artwork
Vanha nainen ja värttinä
Vanha nainen ja värttinä is an unspecified painting by the Italo Byzantine artist Giuseppe Nogari. It dates from 1753 and is held in the collection of the Finnish National Gallery.
About this work
Overview
Giuseppe Nogari, an Italian painter active in the mid‑18th century, produced the work titled *Vanha nainen ja värttinä* around 1753. The oil painting presents a half‑length portrait of an elderly woman seated before a darkened backdrop, rendered in the muted palette typical of Nogari’s mature style.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter, an aged woman dressed in a simple dark dress with a white collar and headscarf, holds a small, indistinct object—interpreted as a traditional spinning tool. Her down‑cast eyes and clasped hands convey a contemplative mood, suggesting quiet domestic labor or introspection.
Technique & Style
Nogari employs a restrained colour scheme, allowing the figure and background to merge subtly while maintaining a sense of depth. The painting relies on soft chiaroscuro to model the woman's wrinkled features and to create a gentle contrast between light on the face and the surrounding gloom.
History & Provenance
Created during the Rococo period, the work reflects Nogari’s preference for unidealized, emotionally resonant portraiture of older subjects. It remains documented as part of the artist’s oeuvre of half‑length figures, though specific ownership records prior to the 20th century are scarce.
Artist & collection
Artist
Giuseppe Nogari (1699 – 3 December 1766) was an Italian painter of the Rococo. He painted mainly painted half-body portraits, either real or of historical and religious figures. They are striking for their emotional…
