The Fortune-Teller

While an older woman tells a young man’s fortune, her companions rob him. The viewer sees actions he has not noticed. The painting’s modern rediscovery and an inscription naming La Tour’s town became important evidence in reconstructing the artist’s career.

The youth in tan and pink holds a hand at his hip. Attention to the fortune-telling leaves his companions’ actions unchecked.

The older woman in a white wrap reaches towards his palm. The visible activity holds his attention while theft takes place nearby.

A pale hand at his waist touches the hanging chain. This small movement reveals the encounter’s meaning to an attentive viewer.

A hand at the lower left reaches towards his clothing. Several coordinated actions occur outside his field of vision.

The young woman in a pale covering watches his face. Her gaze helps clarify the participants’ coordination.

The far-left figure wears an orange patterned covering. Varied fabrics make the group visually striking while the hands disclose its activity.

La Tour’s training is not securely established. He worked in Lunéville and received commissions from the Duke of Lorraine. Connections with Caravaggio must therefore be considered through the paintings while preserving gaps in his biography.