How does Old Woman Reading elucidate its History?
In 1628, the fourteen-year-old Dou became the first pupil of Rembrandt, only seven years his senior, who shared a studio in Leiden with fellow painter Jan Lievens. Rembrandt himself painted in a refined style during that period, using strong contrasts between light and dark. This technique is also clearly reflected in the current painting. While Rembrandt would later emphatically reject this refinement, Dou focused on perfecting it further. After his teacher moved to Amsterdam in 1632, he became the founder of the Leiden Fijnschilder.
Amsterdam Fijnschilder Jan Lievens Rembrandt Leiden