Art Institute of Chicago

Old Man Lighting a Pipe

Johann Carl Loth (German, 1623–1698)

Date

c. 1660

Medium

Oil on canvas

Culture

Germany

Department

Painting and Sculpture of Europe

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

This man’s suntanned skin, worn clothing, and rustic surroundings are rendered in shades of brown that mirror the contents of his pipe. The Spanish introduced tobacco into Northern Europe in the 16th century, and smoking quickly became a beloved pastime that was widely considered healthful and nourishing. By the early 17th century, single-figure images of smokers emerged as a subgenre of Dutch and Flemish painting. The theme posed an enticing challenge for artists, with its burning leaves, billowing plumes of smoke, and active facial expressions—here, the figure purses his lips and wrinkles his brow as he concentrates on lighting the pipe. German painter Johann Carl Loth blended the Northern emphasis on capturing textures with the dramatic illumination reminiscent of so-called Caravaggesque painters like Hendrick Terbrugghen .

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