430 - Jan Lievens (1607 Leiden - Amsterdam 1674), Bust of an Oriental Man, Facing Right.

Jan Lievens (1607 Leiden - Amsterdam 1674), Bust of an Oriental Man, Facing Right. Etching on laid paper, watermark (cf. Hinterding, variant H-b-a.). (c. 1631). 14.2 x 12.9 cm (sheet). Bartsch 20; Hollstein 39 III (of IV); Dutuit 20 II (of II); Rovinski (Elèves de Rembrandt) 20 III (of IV). A very good impression of this extremely scarce etching, New Hollstein's third and final state, with the address of F. van Wijngaerde at lower right, as described for the final state, printing slightly dry in the fur collar. With a narrow margin around the platemark. This etching of an elderly man ranks among Jan Lievens' exceptionally rare early prints from the series of Oriental Heads, executed circa 1630–32. Having trained together under Pieter Lastman in Amsterdam, Lievens and Rembrandt shared a studio in their native Leiden during the formative years of their careers. At this early stage their artistic styles were so closely aligned that, in some works, it is difficult to distinguish the hand of one from the other. A favourite subject of both artists was the orientalized character study, in which studio props such as turbans, exotic garments and jewellery were used to lend the sitter an Eastern appearance. In 1635, Rembrandt copied the present composition, together with two other prints from Lievens' series of Oriental Heads (New Hollstein 149–151). On his impression of the present subject, Rembrandt added the inscription 'Rembrandt geretuckert' ("retouched" or "improved" by Rembrandt); see Hinterding, The New Hollstein, p. 240. – The sheet with a few small brown spots. Remargined at the upper edge. Verso with slight surface soiling and a smoothed central vertical crease. A small area of green discolouration at the lower right edge, otherwise in good condition. Taxation: differenzbesteuert (VAT: Margin Scheme).