This early 19th-century oil painting by Danish artist Julius Friedländer (1810-1861) depicts his mother, Rebecca Friedländer (1777-1858).Friedländer was predominantly a genre painter but also produced portraits of the rising middle classes. Typically, it’s portraiture that pays the bills so, as such, there’s an emphasis on delighting each sitter with an exquisite result. However, here in around 1830, he was unbound, free to paint without fear of rejection. And it’s probably for this reason that we get such an honest and sensitive portrayal. Note the details in the rendering of the eyes - a deft flick of light reflecting from each iris. And contrast this with the loose handling of the dress and bonnet - almost impressionistic in its brevity.Rebecca Friedländer (born Heymann) was in her 50s when this was painted. Her husband, Marcus Salomon Friedländer (1777-1826), was of Jewish descent and the pair had at least six children.Inscribed on the reverse and framed.Medium: Oil...