The saturnine and inquisitive 12 x 15 inch piece entitled Bedtime was composed by Jewish-Canadian artist Rose Wiselberg. Painted circa 1950 in what was likely Wiselberg’s early 40s, the piece is framed seemingly as a window into a woman’s bedroom. She is seated nude upon a russet coloured chaise, facing her bed and with her back to the viewer. Her upright though slightly hunched posture and fixed gaze creates the premonition that she is lost in thought; the viewer may wonder what waits for the woman in her sleep or in her dreams that she must meet at bedtime.

Wiselberg’s signature can be seen in the top right corner of the piece, granting it its authenticity and certifying its original provenance. Other provenance of this piece, prior to its addition to the Rookleys Canadian Art collection, was in that of a private collector based in Wiselberg’s home city of Montreal.

Bedtime was completed in oil on board, a medium which Wiselberg favoured and painted almost exclusively in. Her rough brushstrokes are clearly visible as she opted for a less blended style, forgoing minute details and instead focusing more on the bigger picture.