This portrait, titled “An Young and Old Woman from Bergen op Zoom,” was created by the artist Albrecht Dürer in 1520. It is made using metalpoint on paper and is part of the Northern Renaissance art movement. The genre of the artwork is a portrait, and it is currently housed in the Musée Condé in Chantilly, France.
The artwork features two contrasting depictions of women’s faces side by side. On the left, there is the serene, youthful face of a young woman. Her eyes are closed, and she appears peaceful, with smooth skin and softly shaped features, which are characteristic of youth. She wears a headdress that falls gently around her face. On the right, the image presents the weathered, wrinkled visage of an older woman, capturing the effects of aging with stark realism. Her eyes are open, and she is gazing outward, with a noticeable expression that seems to suggest a life full of experiences. Both faces are depicted within the same cloak, suggesting their interconnectedness and the passage of time from youth to old age. The masterful use of metalpoint technique by Dürer highlights the delicate textures and nuanced expressions, emphasizing the transient nature of beauty and life.
