Around 1630 Rembrandt made a number of small self-portraits in which he shows himself in a variation of moods. Other etchings in this series are B8, B10, B13 and B320. There are also four paintings (Bredius 1, 2, 5 and 6). Probably Rembrandt experimented with facial expressions (affecten or emotions) as an exercise for the biblical and historical scenes he painted later. Strangely enough this portrait was not recognized as a self-portrait by Gersaint, when he made the first catalogue raisonnée about Rembrandt’s work (1751). Perry Chapman pointed at the fact that Rembrandt has given himself the exact facial expressions Karel van Mander described in his Schilder-boeck in 1604.

In earlier years this etching was known as het Joden doctertie, as described in the catalogue of the Amadé de Burgy sale in 1755. Later van Eeghen has suggested that the bookseller Samuel Smijters is pictured. Clement de Jonghe’s inventory of 1679 mentions an etched portrait of him. Smijters (d. 1644) was bookseller and art collector. It is very likely that Rembrandt met him during his many visits to auctions, where Rembrandt is recorded to have bought at least fifty prints in 1637 and thirty-two the next year.

In the sales catalogue of De Burgy (1755) this picture was referred to as Het portret van een ouden patriarch, met een bonten mantel om en een kostbaare bonnet op ’t hoofd (portrait of an old patriarch, with a fur coat and a precious biretta on his head). It sure is an unusual picture, with an oriental looking clasp and unspecific cap. It seems as if Rembrandt has been practicing on different fabrics, the velvet of the cap, the fur in the collar, the silk in the coat and the hair in the beard. Scholars differ in opinion whether this etching is part of the large group of studies of bearded men or a portrait of a (so far unknown) person, as Jan Six has suggested.

The hair on top is still visible through the cap, making it likely that the cap was added at a later stage. There may even have been impressions of the bare-headed state, as Jordan has suggested, but these have so far not surfaced. Hind mentions that some impressions show a faint ‘R’ in the background at left.

It is highly unlikely that the boy shown here is indeed William of Orange, as Blanc suggested in 1859. His identification is based on a painting which was previously attributed to Rembrandt, but is now considered to be a copy after Jan Lievens. A similar identification by Biörklund, based on an engraving by Willen Delff of 1635, seems to be more substantiated. In the inventory list of Clement de Jonghe of 1679 a portrait of schipper Gerbrants soontje (captain Gerbrants son) is listed, which may also refer to this etching.

Because of the strong resemblance to a drawing of a prophet by Ferdinand Bol (now in Berlin, Hdg 35) it is often assumed that this etching is also made by Bol. But according to Münz the free style of the etching is a solid reason to attribute it to Rembrandt.

Around 1630 Rembrandt made several etchings of old men, as did his companion Jan Lievens. This is one of the two he made in the same year of the same subject (the other being B 325). Since the light is coming from above, part of the face is covered by shading.

Ever since Michel first introduced the idea (in 1890), experts have debated whether or not the person shown here is indeed Rembrandts father. Hind supports this view (p 48-49), pointing at many examples of the same head, even in works by Jan Lievens, Johannes van Vliet and Gerard Dou. They all worked in Rembrandts studio in Leyden and must have had easy access to his father at the time. The many states provide some insight into the working method of the artist in this stage of his career.

With B 287 and B 288 this etching is part of a series of copies (in reverse) after etchings by Jan Lievens (1607-1674), in this case B 21, Holl. 36 made in 1631. It is one of the few etchings in which the light comes from the left side.

The hat of the man is a kolpak, a typical Polish Jewish headdress. The way the face and hat are worked out in detail in contrast with the quickly drawn, loose lines for the coat, is similar to the technique used in The White Negress (B 357), dated in the same year.

One of the smallest of all etchings shows a man with an Eastern European fur cap. For many authors the attribution to Rembrandt is doubtful. Although the fur hat is drawn with the same fine lines, almost scratches, that are seen in other, undisputed, works. The same applies for the shadow lines. However, the long lines in the coat could be made by another artist.

Despite the clear monogram many experts believe this etching is not by Rembrandt. However, the reasons for doing so are often unclear or inconsistent. It may well be an exercise in lighting, with the dark sections on the man’s right side and the lighter parts of cloak, head and nose on his left. This may also explain the many small changes, all related to shadows, made in the seven states.

Around 1635 Rembrandt made four portraits of (so far) unknown men. They were named ‘the oriental heads’, although there is no good reason for that name.

It is generally assumed (f.i. by Hind) that this plate, just as B 286 and B 288, is a copy (in reverse) made after an etching by Jan Lievens (in this case B20, Holl. 39). It is also assumed to be the work of a pupil (Ferdinand Bol, according to Münz) with retouches by Rembrandt. The addition ‘geretuckert’ to the signature supports this view. A similar qualification was found at some paintings in the list of the inventory of 1656. It is more likely that he made the picture after the Lievens etchings.

Despite the fact that this is a typical Rembrandtesque tronie, many early authors have questioned its authenticity and believe that Johannes van Vliet has worked on the plate, maybe from the 2nd state. The New Hollstein considers it authentic.

One of the series of an old man with long beards that Rembrandt made in this period.

A typical Rembrandt ‘tronie’.