Self-portrait in a heavy Fur Cap, Bust (only state)only state

Rembrandt etched this self-portrait in 1631, when he was twenty-five years old and already an established artist. Here he depicts himself as youthful but serious, wearing a fur cap and a coat with a contrasting fur-trimmed neck which might be signifiers of his status as an up- and coming artist. Slanting light illuminates the right side of his face and throws the left into shadow, with the exception of his left eye, which is picked out by the light and contributes to the intensity of his gaze. It is thought that Rembrandt originally conceived this portrait without the hat, as his curls and the top of his head are visible under it.