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The half-length figure of an old man is depicted against a dark background. He looks at the viewer out of the corner of his eye, with his torso turned slightly to the left and his head to the right, as he holds a candle in his right hand to light up a manuscript in his left, of which we can only see the back. Old Man reading by Candlelight is clearly a night scene, a genre in which Schalcken speci
And alchemist, recognizable by his characteristic cap, fans the fire in his laboratory. The presence of books, flasks and other instruments in the foreground reveal his pseudo-scientific activity. In the background, a group of three figures of a certain social standing appear to be discussing the subject from a theoretical standpoint. This work is paired with A Surgical Operation (P01803) and both
This preparatory drawing for the etching Capricho 18, And His House Catches Fire (G02106) is one of the twenty-six pen-and-ink drawings from the Dreams series that are the basis for The Caprichos in its earliest form. The print and preparatory drawing are practically identical except for the size of the oil lamp, which is larger in the former. Information from manuscripts related to The Caprichos
A vessel formed by various pieces of rock crystal joined together by ten enamelled gold mounts. It represents a fantastical animal with short membranous wings, a prolonged neck and an elongated body, carved in a single piece. It has feathers or scales, two small breasts, a row of spikes along the back, and a scaly curling tail. Standing on large bird’s feet, it has a small horn on its head, and it
