Man met kalotje: buste; de vader van Rembrandt (?) 1798 - 1837

Ernst Willem Jan Bagelaar created this etching called "Man met kalotje: buste; de vader van Rembrandt (?)" in the late 18th or early 19th century. Here, we observe an old man wearing a 'kalotje,' or skullcap, a head covering that traverses religious and cultural boundaries. The kalotje, often associated with religious modesty or scholarly pursuit, appears across different epochs. We see its echoes in the yarmulkes worn in Jewish communities and similar head coverings in Christian and Islamic traditions. This unassuming piece of attire becomes a potent symbol of identity and tradition. Think of similar garments—turbans, veils, and miters—each carrying its own history and symbolic weight. The head, regarded as the seat of intellect and spirit, is invariably adorned, marked, and veiled across cultures. This simple cap becomes a complex signifier, a recurring motif in the grand tapestry of human expression.