Old Woman Cutting Her Nails

Old Woman Cutting Her Nails by (a follower of) Rembrandt van Rijn

Old Woman Cutting Her Nails, painted in 1660 (formerly attributed to Rembrandt,) is attributed to a follower of Rembrandt van Rijn, is an exemplary work of the Dutch Golden Age that reflects the Rembrandt school’s skill in capturing the subtleties of human expression and everyday life. This oil on canvas depicts an intimate, domestic scene, departing from grand historical and biblical themes in favor of realism and genre painting. The composition’s use of chiaroscuro, characteristic of Rembrandt’s circle, heightens texture and detail in the subject’s skin and clothing. The work embodies the period’s fascination with ordinary subjects rendered with emotional depth, illustrating how followers of Rembrandt carried forward his influence in finding beauty and meaning in the mundane.

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"Old Woman Cutting Her Nails," created in 1660, is an oil on canvas now attributed to a follower of Rembrandt van Rijn. The work, housed in the Louvre Museum in Paris, exemplifies the Rembrandt school’s mature style, with rich chiaroscuro and an intimate focus on everyday subjects, reflecting the broader circle’s interest in the subtleties of human expression and domestic life.