Bald headed man in profile right: the artist's father (?)
Medium
etching
Dimensions
118; 97
About this artwork
ets
Art Historical Context
In 1630, at just 24 years old, van Rijn created this intimate etching, *Bald headed man in profile: the artist's father (?)**, capturing a solemn profile view of an elderly man—likely his own father, Harmen Gerritsz van Rijn, a prosperous miller from Leiden. Measuring a modest 118mm by 97mm, the work exemplifies Rembrandt's early prowess in etching, a technique he would master and innovate during the Dutch Golden Age. Using a copper plate coated in acid-resistant ground, he incised delicate lines to evoke texture: the smooth bald pate contrasts with wiry hair strands and deeply etched wrinkles...
About the Artist
Rembrandt van Rijn · 1606–1669
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606–1669) stands as one of the greatest visual artists in the history of Western art and the most important Dutch painter of the 17th century. Born in Leiden to a prosperous miller's family, Rembrandt transformed painting through his revolutionary use of light and shadow, his psychological depth in portraiture, and his elevation of etching to a fine art. His approx...