Circle of Sir Peter Paul Rubens, Nocturnal Candlelight Scene with Elderly Woman and Child, Oil on Canvas, 17th Century, Framed

Details

Description

Title:

Nocturnal Candlelight Scene with Elderly Woman and Child

**Artist Attribution:** Circle of **Sir Peter Paul Rubens** (Flemish, 1577–1640)
**Date:** … Read more Title:

Nocturnal Candlelight Scene with Elderly Woman and Child

**Artist Attribution:** Circle of **Sir Peter Paul Rubens** (Flemish, 1577–1640)
**Date:** 17th century (probably third quarter)
**Medium:** Oil on canvas, duplicated in the 19th century
**Dimensions:** 86 × 72 cm
**Subject:** An elderly woman shielding the flame of a candle with her hand while a figure leans in from the right to light another candle, executed in strong Caravaggesque chiaroscuro.

#### :
The composition depicts an intimate nocturnal interior illuminated solely by candlelight. The elderly woman, her face deeply wrinkled with a gentle expression, protects the flame with her hand, creating a warm reddish glow that illuminates the faces, hands, and parts of the clothing. The younger figure appears on the right side of the composition (from the viewer's perspective), leaning closely toward the candle. The background remains in deep shadow, emphasising the dramatic light effects.

The surface shows extensive age-appropriate **craquelure**, and the canvas has been relined in the 19th century for conservation.

#### Attribution Rationale:
Circle of Peter Paul Rubens (17th century)
This painting is a close variant of Peter Paul Rubens’s autograph work *Old Woman and Boy with Candles* (c. 1616–1617), in the *Mauritshuis*, The Hague (oil on oak panel, 77 × 62.5 cm). In the prime version, a boy leans over the woman's left shoulder (appearing on the right side from the viewer's perspective).

**Key similarities:** identical core motif of candlelight sharing, protective hand gesture, warm reddish illumination on flesh, and Caravaggesque chiaroscuro.

**Observed differences supporting circle attribution and variant status:**
- The younger figure is positioned on the right side of the composition, matching the orientation of the autograph original.
- The facial features of the younger figure appear softer and somewhat more mature compared to the distinctly youthful boy in the Mauritshuis version, suggesting subtle interpretive variation typical of works from Rubens's extended circle.
- Brushwork is fluid but slightly more blended than Rubens's bold style; flesh modelling is high quality yet without the pentimenti seen in the original.

No fully documented atelier replicas exist, but the original's role as a studio model suggests contemporary variants were created. The differences in the figure's appearance may reflect artistic interpretation common in circle works.

#### Conclusion
This evocative nocturnal scene captures the essence of Rubens's innovative Caravaggesque phase. The variations in the secondary figure and execution place it convincingly within the 17th-century circle of the master, offering a sensitive interpretation worthy of further study.

Condotion:
In the 19th century, the painting was restored, the old canvas was duplicated (applied) onto a newer canvas from the 19th century, which was the practice of restoration interventions at the time, to save old paintings, or paintings in poor condition\. See less