Old Woman with Pestle and Mortar

Italian School. Oil painting on canvas, Old Woman with Pestle and Mortar, Italian School, early 17th century. A circular painting in a square frame of a crone viewed at half length and turned towards the left stands beside a table on which there is a large mortar filled with a green mash. The woman is possibly making either pesto or salsa verde. She holds a pestle in her right hand and is either about to or has already tasted some of the mash which is on the forefinger of her left hand. She looks out at the spectator, her head cocked slightly towards the left. The woman wears a brown dress with a white lining and lace around the neckline. Her skirt or apron is blue. Some white cloth is bound around her hair. Stourhead, Wiltshire (Accredited Museum)