A dramatic chiaroscuro oil painting depicting two figures illuminated by the glow of a single candle, housed in a heavy, elaborate Baroque-style gilded frame Attributed on plaque, top verso. Lower plaque "Henry S. Denison / Copliments of Mr. Newman".

Overall Size: 16 1/2 x 17 1/2 in.
Sight Size: 8 1/2 x 9 1/2 in.

Godfried Schalcken (1643–1706) was a Dutch Golden Age painter renowned for his finely detailed genre scenes, portraits, and candlelit compositions that showcase subtle effects of light and shadow. Born in Made in the Dutch Republic, he studied in Dordrecht under Samuel van Hoogstraten, a pupil of Rembrandt, whose influence can be seen in Schalcken’s dramatic lighting and careful realism. Schalcken became especially famous for intimate scenes illuminated by a single candle, often depicting elegant figures engaged in music-making, letter writing, or flirtation. He worked in Dordrecht and The Hague before spending several years in England around 1692–1697, where he painted portraits for aristocratic patrons including William III of England. His distinctive candlelight scenes made him one of the most admired specialists in artificial lighting effects among Dutch painters of the late 17th century.

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