An Artist with a Model in his Studio

The aged painter is wearing an imaginary historical (quasi medieval) costume. His corpulent model, with the enormous hat and cloak, appears to be playing a geographer of the ancient world. This could hardly have been meant to be taken seriously: it is a private dig at the vain aspirations of an artist who was attempting a theme that was obviously beyond his reach.

An Artist with a Model in his Studio

The aged painter is wearing an imaginary historical (quasi medieval) costume. His corpulent model, with the enormous hat and cloak, appears to be playing a geographer of the ancient world. This could hardly have been meant to be taken seriously: it is a private dig at the vain aspirations of an artist who was attempting a theme that was obviously beyond his reach.