Old Man Shading His Eyes with His Hand

The influential Dutch master Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669) created Old Man Shading His Eyes with His Hand sometime between 1634 and 1644. This remarkable work is classified as a print, specifically an etching executed on off-white laid paper. During this decade, Rembrandt was heavily invested in mastering the subtle nuances of printmaking, moving beyond traditional burin work to fully exploit the expressive potential of the etching needle. The Netherlands during the Dutch Golden Age provided a highly receptive market for such small, intimate studies.

The subject is captured in an informal, observational pose, the figure shielding his face from an implied light source with a raised hand. Rembrandt’s technical skill allows the viewer to feel the texture of the old man’s clothing and the depth of the shadows cast upon him. The deliberate contrast between areas of deep shadow and highlights exemplifies the artist's sophisticated handling of light, a hallmark of his print output. Through careful, dense line work, Rembrandt suggests profound character and psychological depth, traits common to his many studies of elderly subjects.

This etching reflects the prolific output of prints by the artist in mid-career, demonstrating why Rembrandt is considered one of history's greatest draftsmen. The piece is part of the esteemed permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it serves as a prime example of seventeenth-century Dutch mastery of the medium. As this historic work has entered the public domain, high-quality images and related scholarship are widely available, further emphasizing the enduring influence of Rembrandt on European art.