Self-Portrait with Plumed Cap and Lowered Sabre

"Self-Portrait with Plumed Cap and Lowered Sabre" was created by Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn) in 1634, during the height of his successful early career in Amsterdam. This specific impression is the second state of three, executed in the demanding medium of etching, a printmaking technique that the artist elevated to an unprecedented level of mastery. The work is a prime example of the artist’s self-portraits from this decade, where he frequently adopted historical or dramatic costumes, utilizing elements like the large plumed cap and the visible hilt of the lowered sabre to transform his image into that of a military leader or a courtly figure.

The etching technique allows Rembrandt to achieve a remarkable depth of tonal variation, essential for highlighting the texture of the costume and emphasizing the expressive quality of the man’s face. The strong contrast, created through confident lines and precise cross-hatching, demonstrates the artist’s unparalleled skill in creating volume and dramatic light effects solely through line work. While many of the artist’s prints from this period served practical purposes, his continuous series of self-portraits, created over decades, provide a unique record of his personal and artistic development. Rembrandt’s self-portraits are crucial for understanding Dutch Golden Age artistic identity.

This particular print remains one of the most recognized of Rembrandt’s graphic works and is housed in the renowned collection of prints at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Because of its age and cultural significance, high-quality images of this masterwork are often available through public domain resources for scholars and students worldwide.