Rijksmuseum

A Writer Trimming his Pen

Date

1784

Medium

panel, oil paint (paint)

Institution

Rijksmuseum

While studying in Paris as a young man, Ekels came to appreciate 17th-century Dutch masters – such as Metsu and Ter Borch – who specialized in interior scenes with one or more figures. He made this painting, an example of this genre, upon returning to his native Amsterdam. Ekels probably never saw any work by Vermeer, but his use of light recalls the master’s style.

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