A Polish Nobleman
Shown from about the waist up, a light-skinned man with sagging jowls and a double chin wears a fur garment and hat, a large teardrop pearl earring, and gold chains in this vertical painting. In front of a cracked gray stone wall, the man's body is angled to our right but he turns his face to look at us with brown eyes under a furrowed brow. He has a bulbous nose, and his lips are slightly parted under a wide, wispy mustache. His brown hair is mostly hidden under the tall dark brown fur hat, which is wrapped with a gold chain with a gold medallion at the front. The chestnut-brown fur coat looks especially fuzzy along the neckline, which is also encircled with a thick gold chain. A gold, crown-shaped pendant with a black brush hangs over his right shoulder, closer to us. He holds a gold-tipped cane with his right hand, his thumb extended along the cane. The artist signed and dated the work in the upper right corner, "Rembrandt f: 1637."
Details
- Palette
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Select a color to find related artworks.
- Medium
- oil on panel
- Dimensions
- overall: 96.8 x 66 cm (38 1/8 x 26 in.)
- Department
- CNE-B
- Holding institution
- National Gallery of Art
- Image provider
- national-gallery-of-art
- License
- CC0-1.0
- Credit
- Andrew W. Mellon Collection
Art Genome Taxonomy
8 tags
Subject Matter
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Individual Portrait Both · 96%
The title identifies the subject as a Polish nobleman, while the image shows a single formally presented sitter in elaborate dress and jewelry.
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Royalty and Aristocracy Metadata · 90%
The title identifies the sitter as a nobleman, and the catalog description records aristocratic markers including fur, chains, a medallion, and a cane.
Visual Qualities
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Dark Colors Visual · 98%
The composition is dominated by dark brown, black, and muted gray tones, with warmer highlights on the face, fur, ornaments, and hand.
Medium and Techniques
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Oil on Panel Metadata · 100%
The National Gallery of Art catalogs the work as oil on panel.
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Painting Metadata · 100%
The catalog classifies the object as a painting, and the image visibly presents a painted portrait composition.
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Chiaroscuro Visual · 94%
Strong illumination on the face and hand contrasts with the surrounding dark hat, garment, background, and shadows.
Time Periods
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17th Century Art Metadata · 100%
The work is dated 1637, placing it in the seventeenth century.
Jewelry and Fashion Object Types
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Earrings Visual · 99%
A large dangling earring is clearly visible on the sitter’s exposed ear.
Source & rights
Rembrandt van Rijn. A Polish Nobleman. Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington.