Why it matters
An old woman, seen almost in profile, looks up and opens her mouth in surprise, showing a few teeth. It is a tronie, a study of expression: the only one accepted as by Bruegel's own hand.
Did you know?
- It dates from around 1568.
- The wood was dated by tree rings to 1539.
- A 2018 restoration revealed an inscription fragment in the upper right corner.
Based on the Dutch Wikipedia article Hoofd van een boerin (CC BY-SA 4.0).
