Artwork
Bald Old Man with a Short Beard in Profile
Bald Old Man with a Short Beard in Profile is an ink print by the Baroque artist Rembrandt. It dates from 1635 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Rembrandt’s etching titled *Bald Old Man with a Short Beard in Profile* dates from around 1635.
Rembrandt’s etching titled *Bald Old Man with a Short Beard in Profile* dates from around 1635. Executed as a single‑plate print, the work presents a side view of an elderly figure whose bald head and short, tangled beard are rendered with vigorous, sketch‑like lines. The composition is intimate, focusing on the facial features and the texture of the hair, and exemplifies the artist’s early interest in capturing human character through rapid drawing.
Subject & Meaning
The figure appears as a study of age and individuality rather than a specific portrait. The rough, almost tangled rendering of the beard and hair suggests a candid observation of the sitter’s lived experience, emphasizing the passage of time and the physical signs of aging. The profile pose, a classical convention, allows the viewer to concentrate on the contours of the face and the expressive line work.
Technique & Style
Rembrandt employed traditional etching, incising the image into a copper plate and then drawing with a needle to create varied line depths. Ink fills the incised grooves, producing a grainy, textured surface when pressed onto paper. The swift, scratchy strokes convey immediacy, while the uneven line weight adds a tactile quality that enhances the sense of age and roughness in the subject’s appearance.
History & Provenance
Created in the mid‑1630s, the print belongs to Rembrandt’s early period, when he was experimenting with portraiture and printmaking. Though specific ownership records are limited, the work has been documented in several major collections of Dutch printmaking, reflecting its recognition as a representative example of Rembrandt’s formative etching practice.
Artist & collection
Artist
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (15 July 1606 – 4 October 1669), known mononymously as Rembrandt, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker, and draughtsman.
