250 - Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn (1606 Leiden – Amsterdam 1669), Self-Portrait with Cap Pulled Forward.

Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn (1606 Leiden – Amsterdam 1669), Self-Portrait with Cap Pulled Forward. Etching with drypoint accents on laid paper. (c. 1630). 5.2 x 4.4 cm (sheet). Bartsch 319; White/Boon 319 VI (of VI); Hinterding/Rutgers (The New Hollstein) 71 VIII (of X). A very fine lifetime impression of New Hollstein’s eighth state (of ten), with the horizontal scratch to the left of the cap printing sharply, some fine horizontal wiping scratches, and an inky plate edge on the right. With thread margins. Executed circa 1630, the *Self-Portrait with Cap Pulled Forward* belongs to the remarkable series of small-scale self-portraits Rembrandt produced during the formative years of his career as a printmaker. Measuring little more than five centimeters in height, the image possesses an extraordinary intimacy, presenting the young artist at close range and with the striking immediacy characteristic of his earliest etched self-portraits. Rather than creating a formal likeness, Rembrandt appears to have used his own features as a means of exploring expression, light, and shadow. Particularly engaging is the way in which the cap is pulled low over his forehead, partially obscuring the face and casting it into shadow. This simple device transforms the tiny portrait into a remarkably concentrated study of physiognomy and character. – The lower right corner is skillfully repaired. The reverse side shows old adhesive strips and traces of a previous mounting. Otherwise in very good condition. Taxation: subject to regular taxation (VAT: Regular Taxation).