Self-portrait with beret 1634

This is Rembrandt van Rijn's "Self-Portrait with Beret", an oil on canvas of modest dimensions. The portrait immediately strikes us with its sombre palette and the palpable texture of the paint. Rembrandt's use of impasto is particularly evident in the rendering of his face and beret, where thick daubs of paint create a play of light and shadow that models his features. The background, by contrast, is a subtly modulated field of warm hues, a tonal backdrop that pushes the figure forward. The beret itself, a dark mass atop his head, is not just a piece of clothing but a formal element that anchors the composition. Its dark color is echoed in the shadows of his face and the fur trim around his shoulders. The fur and soft curly hair are painted with looser, more gestural strokes, creating a contrast with the more tightly rendered face. The overall effect is one of a dynamic tension between the material properties of the paint and the psychological depth of the subject.