The focus is not on Anna’s face but on her ‘reading’ hand
Old woman reading, probably the prophetess Anna, Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn: Oil on panel, 1631
Petra wanted to share the news of the reopening of The Rijksmuseum. Since I was was going through my touristic photos I thought to post the explanation of this Rembrandt’s painting. Instead of taking notes, I took a picture of the text; I am not sure it is a good thing to do, but at least I got the text verbatim. “According to the New Testament, the elderly prophetess Anna spent her whole life serving God in the temple. Rembrandt portrayed her reading, against a dark background with a single oblique source of light behind her. The light illuminates the book and the wrinkled hand of the old woman following the letters. The focus is not on Anna’s face but on her ‘reading’ hand.”
Thanks Mana, I am looking forward to seeing some great paintings again. It was Dan who sent that item to me, He also alerted me to the reopening of the Stedelijk Museum last fall, After years and years of renovation, a trip to Amsterdam is finally worthwhile again!
Train trip to Amsterdam from Den Haag is 51 minutes.