Head of a man in a fur cap, crying out c. 1629

This is Rembrandt van Rijn's small etching, "Head of a man in a fur cap, crying out." Rembrandt was a master of capturing human emotion, and this work is no exception. Made during the Dutch Golden Age, a period of immense economic and cultural growth for the Netherlands, there was also emerging a rising merchant class. Within this context Rembrandt sought to portray raw emotion and the inner lives of everyday people, which perhaps catered to a new audience for art. The etching depicts a man in obvious distress, his face contorted, and mouth agape in a cry. It is unclear what this man is crying about, but Rembrandt invites us to witness a moment of intense personal vulnerability. Rembrandt seems interested in portraying the humanity of this figure. This is made all the more palpable by the swift, energetic lines that convey the immediacy of the man's pain. Through this tiny window, Rembrandt offers us a glimpse into the universality of human suffering and resilience.