Portrait of a Bearded Man in a Wide Brimmed Hat 1633

Rembrandt van Rijn painted this portrait of a bearded man in a wide brimmed hat with oil on panel sometime in the 17th century. Rembrandt was working in the Netherlands during a period of great economic prosperity known as the Dutch Golden Age. Here, the sitter's dark clothing and wide brimmed hat serve to frame his face and that elaborate ruff. During this period, the Dutch Republic was becoming a major center of commerce and artistic production, but its social codes were very rigid. Artists at this time made their living through commissions. The stern look on the man’s face suggests the values of the Dutch merchant class: piety, hard work, and material success. To better understand the nuances of Dutch portraiture, we might look at etiquette manuals and conduct books from the period. Further research into the artist’s patronage might also shed light on the significance of this image.