Oil painting. A dimly lit room in a basement, stone walls. A curved stone staircase the only entrance. By an old wooden table sits a figure dressed in a robe with the hood up. We see that it is a skeleton by the grinning skull illuminated by torched on the walls. There is an open old book on the table. 17th century. Thick, expressive, and textured brushstrokes often using impasto in focal points. The composition is centralized, with a focus on dramatic lighting using chiaroscuro. Arrangements lead the eye toward the most illuminated figures or objects. The palette is muted earth tones, heavy on browns, ochres, and deep reds, contrasted with strong light and shadow.
