REMBRANDT
Dutch 1606-1669
Portrait of a white-haired man
1667
oil on canvas
108.9 x 92.7 cm
Felton Bequest 1951
2372-4

This is the second-last portrait painted by Rembrandt, who died two years after its completion. Towards the end of his career his popularity waned and he received few commissions, however this work has qualities greatly admired today.

This portrait hardly flatters the sitter in a physical sense, but character and personality exude from the canvas. The power of the work is derived from the composition, which focuses attention on the direct gaze of the sitter. Rembrandt uses a striking combination of broad, bold brushstrokes with delicately rendered details, particularly in the sitteršs wavy hair and face, which further emphasises his expression.