Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669)
Portrait of an Elderly Man, 1667
Oil on canvas
32 ¼ x 25 5/8 in. (81.9 x 67.7 cm)
Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis, The Hague
Acquired in 1999 with the support of the Friends of the Mauritshuis Foundation, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the Fund for National Cultural Heritage, the Sponsor Lottery, the Fonds 1818, the Rembrandt Society, the Prince Bernhard Cultural Fund, ING Group, Prof. Drs. A.C.R. Dreesmann, the Dr. Hendrik Muller National Fund and private individuals
Inv. no. 1118
This painting from Rembrandt’s maturity is thought to be of Lodewijck van Ludick, a merchant, art collector, and close friend of the artist. An intriguing comparison can be made between this picture and Rembrandt’s Self-Portrait (1658) in the Frick's permanent collection. Rembrandt executes both paintings in what is known as his “rough” style, characterized by loose brushstrokes and heavily impastoed surfaces. Each man’s confronting gaze conveys a sense of wisdom, as well as disillusionment.