Head of an Old Man in High Fur Cap: Bust, c. 1629
Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijnexpand_more
Etching and burinexpand_more
Gift of Elizabeth, Julie, and Catherine Andrus in memory of John and Marion Andrusexpand_more 2015.93.60
Not on Viewexpand_more
With well-placed scratches, Rembrandt conjured the illusion of fur in the space of a thimble. He loved using headgear to confer identity on his subjects, like this ruddy fellow leaning in to hear some tale he promises to keep under his hat. The fur could be marten or polecat—one of the humbler native furs the Dutch wore to keep warm. In 1631, Rembrandt put a similar hat on a bystander in Simeon’s Song of Praise (Mauritshuis, The Hague). The lines etched on the shoulder were probably added by a follower.
Details
- Title
- Head of an Old Man in High Fur Cap: Bust
- Artist Life
- 1606–1669
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2015.93.60
- Provenance
- [C. & J. Goodfriend, New York; sold May 7, 1988, to Andrus]; John E. Andrus III, Wayzata, Minn.; by descent to his daughters, Elizabeth, Katie, and Julie; gave to MIA, 2015. Earlier provenances have been gathered, but further research will increase our knowledge of their histories.
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Accepted as by Rembrandt: New Hollstein 37; Munz 35. White/Boon 299 believe it was reworked. Rejected as by Rembrandt: Björklund 52; Hind 135. Others: Gersaint 276; Bartsch 299.
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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