Old Man with a Divided Fur Cap (1640)
Original title: Old Man with a Divided Fur Cap
kurzbeschreibung
An older man wearing a fur-trimmed cap and holding a quill appears in this print. Rembrandt etched the portrait in 1640 and added drypoint work; it survives in the first of two states. The subject reads as an intimate, thoughtful head study.
Description
The man's cap is edged with fur, his beard thick and wavy, his moustache neatly kept. A quill in his hand suggests writing or drawing. His expression stays serious and withdrawn, while the backdrop remains bare and minimal. The rendering is in black and white and highly detailed.
Context
The sheet was made in Amsterdam in 1640, during a period when Rembrandt was experimenting intensively with graphic techniques. Head studies of this kind appear often in his work; they frequently served as models for larger compositions. Who the sitter was is not certain — possibly this is a model study head.
Impact
The serious gaze and the quill in his hand give the portrait a calm, intellectual air. Fine lines and the soft texture of drypoint create an intimate, almost tactile presence.
Technique
Etching and drypoint can be told apart by differences in line thickness and a distinctive texture. Drypoint leaves soft, velvety lines that stand out from the sharper etched lines. To speak of the first of two states points to an early printing phase.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)