Man at a Desk wearing a Cross and Chain

The identity of the sitter of this very atmospheric portrait is unknown: several names have been cautiously suggested in the literature, including Nicolaes de Bye, councillor for the King of Poland, or the artist Jan Lievens (1607-1674), his friend from Leiden and rival in later years. Who ever the sitter was, he also posed for another of Rembrandt's etchings of the same year, The Card Player (B. 136; New Holl. 193). The head of the fair sitter, caught in a contemplative state, is lightly etched and the upturned collar mostly blank, creating a strong contrast against the dark background and the elaborately etched details of his luxurious 16th-century dress. By leaving the upper and upper right edge of the background unhatched and blank towards the platemark, Rembrandt seems to deliberately reveal the illusory nature of the picture plane.