Artwork

Seated old man with a cane in fanciful costume

Seated old man with a cane in fanciful costume, by Rembrandt, oil, 1645
Seated old man with a cane in fanciful costume, by Rembrandt, oil, 1645

Seated old man with a cane in fanciful costume is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Rembrandt. It dates from 1645 and is held in the collection of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden.

About this work

Overview

Seated old man with a cane in fanciful costume is a 1645 oil-on-canvas painting by Rembrandt van Rijn, a prominent Dutch painter.

Subject & Meaning

The painting depicts an elderly man with a long white beard and mustache, dressed in a red-and-black costume and adorned with a gold chain. His calm yet serious expression is subtly nuanced with a hint of a smile, drawing the viewer's attention.

Technique & Style

Rembrandt's use of chiaroscuro creates a three-dimensional effect on the subject's face, achieved through the interplay of shadows and light against a dark background.

History & Provenance

The painting is part of the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister collection. It is one of around three hundred surviving paintings by Rembrandt, who was known for his diverse subjects and styles.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Rembrandt

Artist

Rembrandt

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (15 July 1606 – 4 October 1669), known mononymously as Rembrandt, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker, and draughtsman.