REMBRANDT HARMENSZ. VAN RIJN (1606-1669)

Bearded Man in a Velvet Cap with a Jewel Clasp

Details

REMBRANDT HARMENSZ. VAN RIJN (1606-1669)
Bearded Man in a Velvet Cap with a Jewel Clasp
etching
1637
on laid paper, without watermark
a brilliant impression
printing richly, with great presence, clarity and modulation
with tiny touches of burr on the nose and elsewhere
trimmed to the subject
generally in good condition
Sheet 95 x 84 mm.

Provenance

Pieter Wolterbeek (b. circa 1790), Amsterdam (without mark and not in Lugt); his sale, J. de Vries, A. Brondgeest, C. F. Roos, Amsterdam, 6 May 1845, lot 330. (24 Guilder; to Guichardot)
Mr. F. van den Zande (19th century), Paris (without mark; see Lugt 2680); acquired from the above; his sale, F. Guichardot, Paris, 30 April 1855 (and following days), lot 2295 ('Superbe épreuve. Cabinet Wolterbeek'). (Fr. 61; to Loizelet).
With Eugène Loizelet, Paris.
Émile Galichon (1829-1875), Paris (Lugt 1058); presumably acquired from the above; his posthumous sale, Hôtel Drouot (exp. Clément), 10-14 May 1875, lot 371 ('Magnifique épreuve du premier état avant la retouche (...). Trés rare. Collections Wolterbeck et Vanden Zande'). (Fr. 235; to Galichon).
Louis Galichon (1829-1893), Paris (Lugt 1060); acquired at the above sale; his posthumous sale, Hôtel Drouot (exp. Danlos), 4-9 March 1895, lot 1003 ('Superbe épreuve. Coll. Volterbeck, Van den Zande et E. Galichon'). (Fr. 270; to Mayer of Colnaghi).
With P. & D. Colnaghi & Co., London & Kennedy Galleries, New York (with their stocknumber a75454 in pencil verso).
Probably with Theodore de Witt (1853-1924), New York (without mark; see Lugt 2428); presumably acquired from the above. (according to Keppel's label)
With Frederick Keppel & Co., Inc., New York (with their label and number 3808 on the backboard); presumably acquired from the above.
John Stanley Ames, USA; acquired from the above around 1910; by descent to the present owner.

Literature

Bartsch, Hollstein 313; Hind 150; New Hollstein 163

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

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Lot Essay

The present work is an example of the delight Rembrandt took in depicting a wide range of textures. Celebrated for his understanding of light and shade, his ability to evoke different surfaces is equally impressive and plays an important role in particular in his earlier works. This portrait brings together a variety of materials and surfaces: the fur of the collar, the sitter's beard and skin, the velvet of the cap and the gemstone in the jewel clasp. It was probably this anonymous sitter's impressive appearance which persuaded Rembrandt to portray the man rather than a paid commission.
This beautiful impression was owned by a long list of important collectors, including the brothers Galichon.

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