Intricate crosshatching and a spectacular mastering of light render this detailed Rembrandt Old Bearded Man in a High Fur Cap, with Eyes Closed, c. 1635. Sunken shadows follow the old man’s weathered face, undulating over his aged skin and full beard. Depicted in a three quarter profile, with closed eyes, Rembrandt characterizes his subject as a cerebral and introspective figure, while he is exoticized by his distinguishing accessory, the high fur cap. Meticulously textured, Rembrandt is able to capture the old man’s essence with immaculate exactitude. To the left of the composition, a gradient of crosshatching fades into the empty background creating a sense of atmosphere and depth to the work.

Created c. 1635, this work is signed and dated Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (Leiden, 1606- Amsterdam, 1669) in the plate by ‘Rembrandt’ and ‘R’ in reverse in the upper left. Likely a life time impression, according to New Hollstein Dutch this work is a State II (of IV), a Nowell Usticke State IV (of V); Biörklund’s State V (of V); Hind State V (of V); White and Boon’s State V (of V).

Provenance:

Galerie Bassenge, Berlin, Germany.

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:

Rembrandt Old Bearded Man in a High Fur Cap, with Eyes Closed, c. 1635 is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonnés and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoice accompanying the final sale of the work):

1. Bartsch. The Illustrated Bartsch Vol. 50.  Edited by Stephanie S. Dickey.  New York: Abaris Books, 1981. Illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 290 (another example illustrated).

2. Biörklund, George. Rembrandt’s Etchings: True and False, Stockholm: George Biörklund, 1968. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. BB 35-3.

3. Hind, Arthur. A Catalogue of Rembrandt’s Etchings, New York: Da Capo Press, 1967. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 130.

4. Hinterding, Erik and Rutgers, Jaco. The New Hollstein Dutch & Flemish Etchings, Engraving and Woodcuts, 1450-1700: Rembrandt Text I 1625-1635 nos. 1-155. Edited by Ger Luijten. Amsterdam: Sound and Vision Publishers, 2013. Listed as catalogue raisonné no. 148.

5. Hinterding, Erik and Rutgers, Jaco. The New Hollstein Dutch & Flemish Etchings, Engraving and Woodcuts, 1450-1700: Rembrandt Plates II 1636-1648 nos. 139-246. Edited by Ger Luijten. Amsterdam: Sound and Vision Publishers, 2013. Illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 148.

6. Munz, Ludwig. A Critical Catalogue of Rembrandt’s Etchings, 1952, Vol. 1. Listed and illustrated as plate no. 61.

7. Munz, Ludwig. A Critical Catalogue of Rembrandt’s Etchings, 1952, Vol. 2. Listed as catalogue raisonné. no. 54.

8. Nowell-Usticke, G.W. Rembrandt’s Etchings, New York: Hacker Art Books, Inc., 1988. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. B 290.

9. White, Christopher and Boon, Karel. Rembrandt’s Etchings, Vol. 1, . Amsterdam: Van Gendt & Co.,1969. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. B 290.

10. White, Christopher and Boon, Karel. Rembrandt’s Etchings, Vol. 2, Amsterdam: Van Gendt & Co.,1969. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. B 290.

11. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this work.

About the Framing:

Rembrandt Old Bearded Man in a High Fur Cap, with Eyes Closed, c. 1635 is framed to museum-grade, conservation standards, presented in a complementary moulding and finished with linen-wrapped mats and optical grade Plexiglas.