Jan van Bijlert, Portrait of an Elderly Man and Two Women
| Full title | Portrait of an Elderly Man and Woman, and a Younger Woman, outside a House |
|---|---|
| Artist | Jan van Bijlert |
| Artist dates | 1598 - 1671 |
| Date made | probably 1660s |
| Medium and support | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 127 × 101 cm |
| Inscription summary | Signed |
| Acquisition credit | Bought, 1889 |
| Inventory number | NG1292 |
| Location | Not on display |
| Collection | Main Collection |
We don't know who these people are, but they wear the restrained costume of prosperous, Protestant Dutch people in the 1660s. Either woman could be the man’s wife; it has also been suggested that the younger woman is a maid, or the couple’s daughter.
There may be some clues. The younger woman holds a rose, perhaps a symbol of love, and points out of the painting; she looks down with an intent expression. The man rests one hand on the globe, which is possibly a symbol of faith, and points at the fruit on the table with the other. The older woman holds a peach, perhaps symbolising truth.
For some reason, half a globe on half a plinth appears to cut off the composition in an odd and rather unsatisfactory way – perhaps there was once a companion piece that completes the story. In its absence, you are left to decide on an interpretation of the symbols and, from them, the painting’s meaning.
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