Tag: Self-portraits
Self-portrait in a flat cap and embroidered dress
It is the only self-portrait in which he is seen wearing his ‘daily’ attire.
Self-portrait bareheaded with high curly hair
Of all self-portraits Rembrandt made in his early years, still living in Leiden, this is the most sketchy one, resembling the drawings he made in the same period. Contrary to other portraits of these years, the eyes are hardly visible.
Self-portrait etching at a window
This print is the last of the series of the more than thirty self-portraits Rembrandt made, nine years after the previous one (B 21), in which he is showing himself as a very confident seigneur. At this time in his life he had lost Saskia, was in troubled financial condition and his relationship with Geertje Dircx had ended in a court battle. The outward appearance is now of less importance. It is the reflection of the inner soul that comes centre-stage. The plate is heavily reworked in later states by other hands. As a result the face becomes dull and flat, lacking the expression in the early states. It has become a caricature more than a portrait. The original English title was ‘drawing at a window’. In 1943 Van Gelder has argued that the artist is not drawing, but etching. Based on this Hinterding has altered the name.
Self-portrait (?) with plumed cap and lowered sabre
This etching is still considered to be a self-portrait by some authors, although the person depicted here shows little resemblance with Rembrandt. Also, we see a wart on the right cheek (warts had a negative connotation in the 17th century), not seen in any other self-portrait and the person shown seems to be much ‘bulkier’ than expected in a portrait of Rembrandt. Various other identifications have been made, like Admiral Philip van Dorp (Münz, Nowell-Usticke and Jan Six), Prince Adolf van Cleve (Middleton) and Prince Adolph of Gueldres (Blanc). The latter based on a resemblance with a painting by Rembrandt in 1635 Samson threatening his father-in-law, now in the Gemäldegalerie Berlin (Corpus A 109, Bredius 499). Biörklund suggested Joris de Caullery based on the likeliness with a portrait made in 1632 (Bredius 170, formerly in the Seligmann collection).
Self-portrait in a fur cap: bust
This etching is one of the most striking self-portraits in which only the shadowed areas are worked out in detail. The light comes in from the left, which is quite unusual. Although it dates from the same period it is not one of the experiments in facial expressions.
The hat in this etching is probably added later, as it is clearly etched on top of the hair. However, no impressions have been found without the hat to confirm this theory.
The type of coat is a 16th-century version, long out-of-fashion in Rembrandt’s days. It may have served the owner as a warm coat in a cold studio, since it appears in several other portraits of this period as well. Two of these coats were part of his inventory in 1656. The fur, shown in the hat as well as the coat, was a luxury item. Rembrandt excelled in depicting the texture in his paintings.
Self-portrait in a slanted fur cap: bust
It is generally assumed that the man pictured here is indeed Rembrandt. Other than in most other self-portraits of this period, the sitter is not looking at the etcher (or viewer). Rembrandt seems to be in a reflective mood. This may explain why this print has never been a popular one.
Self-portrait in a cloak with falling collar: bust
We see a seriously looking, young man with very bushy hair and a small moustache. Although the plate is probably made or finished by a pupil, it is clearly Rembrandt who is shown here. He wears a buttonless coat or mantle, with two layers and a small almost white collar. The background is empty, the light falls in from the right, leaving a shadow on the right cheek. Rembrandt etched some thirty ‘selfies’ over a period of more than thirty years. In many of these he is experimenting with special looks, uncommon clothing or shadows. Not in this one. Instead, it seems more a picture for a passport then a formal self-portrait.
Self-portrait open mouthed, as if shouting: bust
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, B316 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. This particular one has always been very popular, probably because one can almost ‘hear’ him shouting. Because of anguish or of fear? Given the black spot on his nose, which fades slightly in later impressions, could it be that he had recently suffered some injury? As in B10, the loose hair is adding to the emotions.
Self-portrait with Saskia
This is one of the best known self-portraits of Rembrandt. He is depicting himself as an artist with his wife Saskia on his side, with whom he married two years earlier. Rembrandt wears a 16th century beret with a brim. It is very unusual to see a self-portrait with another person.
Self-portrait in a velvet cap with plume
In this self-portrait Rembrandt is 32 years old. In this period he portrays himself in a more formal setting, reflecting the prominent position he has reached. He dresses in costumes that are more 16th than 17th century, as can be seen in etching B 21 and in the painted portrait in the National Gallery (Corpus A 139). The coat is etched in close, parallel lines instead of the cross-hatching normally seen in these sections. It is one of the few portraits in which he wears a beard, rather than a moustache only.
Self-portrait leaning on a stone sill
This etching shows Rembrandt at the age of 33. At that moment he had just bought his new house at the Breestraat, the present Rembrandthuis. He portrays himself in a self-assured, almost arrogant pose. In clothes that were certainly not used in everyday life in that period. It is probably the best known and most popular of his self-portraits, which is supported by the numerous copies made by other artists.
Self-portrait in cap & scarf with the face dark: bust
Inspired by Caravaggio (1571-1610) and his followers, the Utrechtse Caravagisten, Rembrandt made several experimental self-portraits. This is clearly one of those. Rembrandt kept the whole face in the shadow, using only two small white dots to lighten up the eyes and a glimmer of light on the nose. He tried this shadow effect earlier (B 12), but that experiment failed miserably. It is the first self-portrait signed with his full name. The combination of the clothing is quite remarkable: the button and string on the left shoulder point at a ‘military’ shirt, yet the scarf is oriental (East Indian) and informal.
Self-portrait with raised sabre
In this portrait Rembrandt has ‘dressed up’ as an oriental magistrate, although it is unlikely that he actually wore this outfit when he etched himself. As he did in other portraits he may have worked from imagination or used examples by other artists. The sword (of the type kris) shows only one waved side, whereas it should be waved on both sides. It is also hold incorrectly, since the hook (now shown under) is meant to protect the knuckles of the hand. In other words: Rembrandt was not very accurate when painting weapons.
Self-portrait in a heavy fur cap: bust
After the experiments with expressions that Rembrandt made in earlier years, this etching is one of the first more formal portraits. Although signed RHL it is possible that he made this print after his move to Amsterdam in 1631. It is likely that the cap was added later, probably by Rembrandt, since hair can still be recognized through the cap. There may even have been a state without the cap, but so far no impressions were found to support this.
Self-portrait, leaning forward, listening
Early in his career, between 1627 and 1629, Rembrandt used self-portraits to master the technique of etching and to experiment with light and shadow, as he did in his early paintings. This is one of those ‘test-pieces’. It is quite unusual that the sitter is not watching at us, but looking sideways. The waiving hair and the light coming from the right side create the impression that Rembrandt actually moves forward. The shadows in the lower part, the triangle at right, may represent a wall or embankment. In other works a similar form of partition can be found. It creates more depth and perspective. According to van Straten this may well be the first self-portrait.
The artist’s son, Titus
The print was originally classified, by Gersaint and Bartsch, as a self-portrait. In 1824 De Claussin suggested that the sitter is probably Titus, who was born in 1641 and thus fifteen years old at the time this print was made. This identification is now generally accepted. Titus died of the plague in 1668, a year before his father died.
Self-portrait in a fur cap, in an oval border: bust
This small plate is one of the earliest self-portraits in which Rembrandt is clearly experimenting with the light coming from right below. The deep, broad lines indicate that the plate has been in the acid for a long (too long?) period. The oval cadre is made by using a roulette and may have been added later. It could be meant to be the image of a mirror. In contrast with B 11, which was long considered a self-portrait until it was identified as a portrait of his son Titus, this etching was originally considered to be a portrait of Titus. Like in the De Burghy sale of 1755 (lot 3) in which, according to Yver, an impression was labelled Titus, de zoon van Rembrant, heel raar (Titus the son of Rembrandt, very rare).
Self-portrait with a broad nose
In this particular work Rembrandt has pictured himself as he is, complete with the thick, broad nose. It is, with B5 and B27 certainly one of the earliest of his self-portraits, probably made when he was still living in Leyden. The experimental stage of this work is reflected in the long, deep lines with which the dress is drawn. The decorated shirt is a 16th century one.
Self-portrait leaning forward: bust
Early in his career, between 1627 and 1629, Rembrandt used self-portraits to master the technique of etching and to experiment with light and shadow, as he did in his early paintings. This is one of those ‘test-pieces’. It is also clearly an example of the experiments in facial expressions. In this case a slightly sombre mood. Rembrandt re-used a cut-off portion of the plate for The flight into Egypt (B54, NHD 4). Which explains why, in the first two states, the head of a woman (Mary) is still visible (upside down) just above the head.
Self-portrait in a cap and dark cloak: bust
In this print the light comes from the left and the sitter is not looking at the viewer, contrary to most other, (self)-portraits. The eyes are hardly accentuated, the contrast between light and dark are fairly strong.
Self-portrait in a soft hat and patterned cloak
This etching is the first ´formal´ portrait Rembrandt made, at the age of 24, in the year he moved from Leiden to Amsterdam. This may explain why it is also the first sign that Rembrandt was, at least mentally, becoming a more cosmopolitan person, showing himself as a seigneur. He clearly was not immediately satisfied with the results, since he made many changes, leading to fifteen different states (NHD), most of which are printed only once. White and Buvelot noticed that the original title is not correct since the cap is not soft at all and that the cloak is not embroidered but made of a patterned or brocade fabric. Although quite a number of impressions have survived, the print has not been seen outside museum collections.
Self-portrait with long bushy hair: head only
Around 1630 Rembrandt made a number of small self-portraits, including four paintings, in which he shows himself in a variation of moods, in this case ‘full of sorrow’. Other etchings in this series are B10, B13, B316 and B320. There are also four paintings (Bredius 1, 2, 5 and 6). It is generally assumed that Rembrandt experimented with facial expressions (affecten or emotions) as an exercise for the biblical and historical scenes he painted later. It was probably Rembrandts intention to portray the full body after the 1st state, given the large unused space (cut off in the 2nd state). By doing so, the etching became one of the smallest in his oeuvre.
Self-portrait, frowning: bust
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, B13, B316 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. This is the only etching in which his mood is rather angry instead of the bewildered, laughing face in several other portraits. By turning the head in relation to the body, a suggestion of depth and movement is created. The shadow on the right cheek strengthens the angry mood. The coat is not worked out in detail, again focussing the attention to the face.
Self-portrait wearing a soft cap: full face, head only
Very few artists depicted themselves as regularly as Rembrandt did. Apart from the paintings he is rightfully famous for, he made at least thirty etched self-portraits over a period of more than thirty years. Rembrandt made this etching in the year that he married Saskia. The long hair falling over his left shoulder is meant to break the symmetry. It is a cadenette, normally worn by aristocrats, not by artists. The right part of the band is left white. On purpose or unfinished? This is the only self-portrait in which he pictures himself smiling. Biörklund has named this etching Rembrandt with three moustaches, following the earlier French title.
Self-portrait with curly hair and white collar: bust
Early in his career Rembrandt used self-portraits to master the technique of etching. Around 1629 he started to experiment with light and shadow, as he did in his early paintings. This is one of those ‘test-pieces’. Rembrandt was at the age of 24 when he made this self-portrait. He is not trying to ‘hide’ the imperfections in his face, like the thick nose and the short beard. In fact, these elements are sharpened by the light coming in from left. Which is quite unusual in etchings by Rembrandt.