![Jan Ekels II - A Writer Trimming His Pen [1784] by Gandalf's Gallery](http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5487/9598552320_7c0b5e6786.jpg)
A young man is sitting at his desk. His face and hands can be seen in the mirror as he sharpens his goose-feather quill pen. He is working in relaxed fashion and has just thrown his jacket nonchalantly over a chair. On the wall, next to the mirror, hang a board game and a bag of pieces. Jan Ekels painted this work in 1784. He has depicted a soberly furnished room and an ordinary everyday activity with exceptional skill. The seemingly casual setting and the mirror image are marvellous ideas. The well-balanced composition suggests tranquillity, but it is above all the light that makes for the peaceful atmosphere.
[Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam - Oil on panel, 27.5 x 23.5 cm]