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Source Description
Ferdinand Bol was one of the most prominent pupils and followers of Rembrandt van Rijn, for whom drawing played a central role in his workshop practice and teaching. This image of a man within a darkened interior before a window—perhaps a scholar or philosopher—is similar to compositions of saints as well as portraits that Rembrandt made in the 1630s and 1640s. Bol was quite interested in the theme, portraying similar figures in at least two paintings, ten drawings, and four etchings. Like Rembrandt, he employed an expressive but controlled use of ink wash, emphasizing the psychological interiority of the sitter with dramatic shading. The verso (back) of the drawing features a quick sketch by Bol after another of Rembrandt’s compositions, <em>Tobit Healing his Father’s Blindness, </em>1640–45, held today in the CMA’s collection (1969.69).
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
693397
label
An Old Man Seated at a Table, His Head Resting on His Right Hand (recto); The Healing of Tobit (verso)
core
obj
dtoType
drawing
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
693397
contentType
drawing
title
An Old Man Seated at a Table, His Head Resting on His Right Hand (recto); The Healing of Tobit (verso)
description
Ferdinand Bol was one of the most prominent pupils and followers of Rembrandt van Rijn, for whom drawing played a central role in his workshop practice and teaching. This image of a man within a darkened interior before a window—perhaps a scholar or philosopher—is similar to compositions of saints as well as portraits that Rembrandt made in the 1630s and 1640s. Bol was quite interested in the theme, portraying similar figures in at least two paintings, ten drawings, and four etchings. Like Rembrandt, he employed an expressive but controlled use of ink wash, emphasizing the psychological interiority of the sitter with dramatic shading. The verso (back) of the drawing features a quick sketch by Bol after another of Rembrandt’s compositions, <em>Tobit Healing his Father’s Blindness, </em>1640–45, held today in the CMA’s collection (1969.69).
date
c. 1640s–50s
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
creators
1236
genreSpecific
Drawing
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Sheet: 18 x 15.7 cm (7 1/16 x 6 3/16 in.)
cul
Netherlands
accession
2025.142
Source extras
tec
Pen and brown ink, brown wash, black ink framing lines (recto); pen and brown ink (verso)
tombstone
An Old Man Seated at a Table, His Head Resting on His Right Hand (recto); The Healing of Tobit (verso), c. 1640s–50s. Ferdinand Bol (Dutch, 1616–1680). Pen and brown ink, brown wash, black ink framing lines (recto); pen and brown ink (verso); sheet: 18 x 15.7 cm (7 1/16 x 6 3/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund, 2025.142
collection
DR - Dutch
didYouKnow
Ferdinand Bol’s subtle and controlled use of ink wash reveals a large trunk on the floor, while retaining bright highlights on the figure, book, and globe on the windowsill.
creditline
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
updatedAt
2026-05-29 09:18:17.078000
sourceId
693397
dept
Drawings
coll
DR - Dutch
med
Pen and brown ink, brown wash, black ink framing lines (recto); pen and brown ink (verso)
creatorTags
male
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
a080cf869e077a05