"One day"

In a dim study, an older man in a dark cap and pale robe sits hunched at a small table, one hand at his chin near a glass carafe and scattered papers. Behind him, tools recede into the gloom. To the right, in a shaft of light, three men in broad-brimmed hats and dark cloaks, one wearing a red sash, stand close together watching the seated figure.

Nearly the whole scene is built in blacks and browns, with a single warm pool of light on the table and a cooler light on the onlookers. Brushwork loosens in the shadow and tightens on the lit faces and hands. The strong chiaroscuro and hushed, watchful grouping create a tense, mysterious mood.