Dou, Gerard – Oude vrouw lezend in een lectionarium; zogenaamd portret van Rembrandts moeder, Neeltgen Willemsdr van Zuijdtbroeck (gest 1640), 1630 - 1635 Rijksmuseum: part 1

Here we observe a portrait of an elderly woman engrossed in reading from a large, open book. The composition is dominated by her figure, positioned in profile and angled slightly towards the viewer. Her gaze remains fixed on the pages before her, suggesting deep concentration and absorption. A simple white headband secures her elaborate hairstyle, which appears somewhat disheveled, adding to the impression of age and perhaps a life lived beyond superficial concerns.
The artist has employed a chiaroscuro technique, utilizing strong contrasts between light and shadow to model the woman’s face and hands. Light illuminates one side of her visage, highlighting the deep lines etched by time – wrinkles around her eyes and mouth, furrows on her brow – while leaving much of her body in relative darkness. This dramatic lighting draws attention to her features and emphasizes a sense of solemnity and introspection. The book itself is rendered with meticulous detail; its pages display dense text alongside an illustrative engraving, hinting at the intellectual or spiritual nature of her reading material.
The woman’s attire consists of a dark, richly textured garment, likely velvet, which further contributes to the overall feeling of quiet dignity. Her hands, gnarled and aged, gently hold the book open, demonstrating both fragility and a steadfast connection to knowledge. The background is almost entirely black, devoid of any distracting elements, ensuring that the viewer’s focus remains solely on the subject.
Subtexts within this painting suggest themes of piety, learning, and the passage of time. The act of reading from a lectionary – a book containing scripture or religious readings – implies devotion and spiritual engagement. The womans age and weathered appearance evoke reflections on mortality and the accumulation of wisdom through experience. There is an underlying sense of quiet strength and resilience in her posture and expression, suggesting that she has faced life’s challenges with grace and fortitude. The artist seems to have intended not merely a likeness but also a meditation on the virtues associated with age and intellectual pursuit.