Old Man with a Tall, Fur-edged Cap

The subject of old age was one that Rembrandt employed throughout his career to explore a variety of textures and emotions. Here, an artist working in the late style of the Dutch master manipulates the application of paint to convey the weathered quality of the skin, the downy softness of the hat’s fur trim, and the heavy coarseness of the cloak. This figure appears in a similar pose in two paintings from Rembrandt’s immediate circle, and he has been associated with persons as diverse as the classical poet Homer, the Old Testament patriarch Jacob, and a disciple of Christ.