A Soldier, An Old Woman and a Young Woman 

Pieter Codde painted "A Soldier, An Old Woman and a Young Woman" using oil on canvas. The painting uses tenebrism to set the mood and guide the viewer's eye, with light concentrated on the faces and hands of the figures, emerging from a dark background. The composition places three figures in a confined indoor space. The formal arrangement is structured to lead the eye through a narrative suggested by the characters’ gestures and expressions. The soldier, with his back to us, provides a sense of enclosure and mystery, while the two women engage in what seems like a transaction or private exchange. Codde's work here reflects a fascination with the semiotics of human interaction, rendering a moment ripe with unspoken meanings. Through careful brushstrokes and light, the painting invites an interpretation of its themes and social undertones, reflective of the culture and philosophical discourse of its time.