An Elderly Couple
- Artist: Jan Gossaert (Jean Gossart)
- Date: about 1520
- Medium: oil on parchment, mounted on canvas
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is the "An Elderly Couple" painted in the early sixteenth century by Jan Gossaert. The couple seem disappointed and their mouths are turned resolutely down. Their eyes appear dull and their jowls sagging. Despite being dressed prosperously, they exude a sense of isolation. They're overlapped but each figure makes a self-contained triangle.
In contrast to the classical lovers embracing in the man's hat, which is probably a reference to Gossart's interest in classical antiquity, this couple appears worn out by life. The only indication of who they are comes from their clothing, suggesting a North Netherlandish origin and a date in the 1510s.
It's worth noting that the painting is on parchment, which might have made it easier to transport. Some art historians believe that the painting wasn't even created for the sitters themselves but rather for some distant friend or relative who commissioned Gossart. This raises interesting questions about how the couple interacted with their own portraits.
Gossaert's use of classical imagery in this piece is particularly striking, especially when juxtaposed with the physical state of the sitters. The young gods on the hat badge are a stark contrast to the couple's agedness. It's almost as if Gossaert is commenting on the fleeting nature of youth and beauty.
The woman appears to be the younger and stronger of the two, while her husband seems worn down by life. Her face is slightly smaller than his, but it's still a strong presence in the painting. The way she's depicted buttressing his shrivelled form adds another layer to the emotional resonance of this piece.
See it in person
An Elderly Couple hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
