This early 20th-century oil painting by German artist Rudolf Possin (1861-1922) depicts an elderly woman carrying groceries.
Clutching a string bag, laden with fresh fruit and vegetables, she returns home to the warmth of a hearth. Her expression is one of contentment and she’s draped in a long shawl.
Possin was a skilled figure painter, academy-trained, and obsessed with the Dutch masters. For eight years, he travelled to Holland annually to study the works of the 17th-century greats. Continually inspired by their precise handling.
Many of his pieces are essentially an homage and feature everyday scenes in Dutch cottages - the figures dressed in traditional costume while undertaking handicrafts or cooking. But here, in this painting from around 1910, we see a rare foray into his own contemporary world. It’s a sensitive portrayal as if she’s sketched candidly. Perhaps he knew the woman personally. Could it be his mother perhaps?
Signed in the lower right and framed.
Medium: Oil on canvas.
Overall size: 16½” x 24½” / 42cm x 62cm
Year of creation: c. 1910
Provenance: Private collection, Germany.
Condition: Artwork presents well. Frame with some light wear.
Artist’s auction maximum: £3,809.
Rudolf Possin was an accomplished German painter of genre scenes, figures, portraits and landscapes. He trained at the Weimar Academy and also under Otto Knille in Berlin. He carried a deep admiration for the 17th-century Dutch masters and this is evident in his traditional approach.
Learn more about Rudolf Possin in our directory.
We care profoundly about our role as custodians and every piece in the collection has been assessed by our conservator. When required, we undertake professional restoration carefully using reversible techniques and adopt a light touch to retain the aged charm of each work. We also restore frames rather than replace them as many are original and selected by the artists themselves.
