Self-Portrait with Cap Pulled Forward Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn

A very fine lifetime impression of New Hollstein’s eighth state (of ten), with the horizontal scratch to the left of the cap printing sharply, some fine horizontal wiping scratches and an inky plate edge at right. With thread margins. Executed circa 1630, the Self-Portrait with Cap Pulled Forward belongs to the remarkable series of small-scale self-portraits Rembrandt produced during the formative years of his career as a printmaker. Measuring little more than five centimetres in height, the image possesses an extraordinary intimacy, presenting the young artist at close range and with the striking immediacy characteristic of his earliest etched self-portraits. Rather than creating a formal likeness, Rembrandt appears to have used his own features as a means of exploring expression, light and shadow. Particularly engaging is the way in which the cap is pulled low over his forehead, partially obscuring the face and casting it into shadow. This simple device transforms the tiny portrait into a remarkably concentrated study of physiognomy and character. – The lower right corner tip skilfully made up. Verso with old adhesive strips and traces of a previous mounting. Otherwise in very good condition. | 1606 Leiden - Amsterdam 1669 | 15.-18. Jahrhundert | Druckgrafik | Nummer: 26x1671

Estimate:£16,685.06

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