Artwork
A Young Man with a Chain
A Young Man with a Chain is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Rembrandt van Rijn. It dates from 1625 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a young man whose identity remains uncertain, though he has traditionally been identified as a self-portrait by Rembrandt from the mid-1620s. He is shown in three-quarter view, wearing a dark cap and a fur-trimmed garment, with a prominent gold chain draped across his chest, a symbol often associated with status, wealth, or civic honor in Dutch portraiture of the period. The chain's gleaming presence draws attention to the sitter's social standing, while his direct gaze and slight expression contribute to an impression of confidence and self-awareness.
The restrained yet expressive handling aligns with Rembrandt's early experiments in conveying individual character through subtle psychological and material cues.
Technique & Style
Specific details of the support, condition, and brushwork are not elaborated in the available records, but the work remains classified as a portrait.
A Young Man with a Chain is an oil painting created by Rembrandt van Rijn, dated 1625. The work measures 58 cm in height and 44 cm in width. As a portrait, the artist uses oil paint to render a male figure adorned with a chain and an earring, the formal handling focused on the textures of the metal chain and jewelry against the subject's attire.
The treatment reflects the studio practice of the Dutch master during his early career in the Netherlands. Specific details of the support, condition, and brushwork are not elaborated in the available records, but the work remains classified as a portrait.
History & Provenance
Created in the Netherlands, this oil portrait is dated 1625 and is associated with Rembrandt van Rijn; some records attribute it to his studio. Its ownership history includes Alphonse Oudry and Maximilien Édouard Kann before it entered the collection of John Long Severance and Elisabeth Severance Prentiss. By 1942 the painting was accessioned into the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is held under accession number 1942.644. While the work dates to the mid-1620s, the available sources do not record specific public exhibition history.
Overview
A Young Man with a Chain is an oil painting depicting a solitary figure. The artist employs a focused composition to present a young man, whose gaze and adornments draw the viewer's attention. This work exemplifies a portrait style emphasizing individual presence through specific visual details and a deliberate use of light.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, known mononymously as Rembrandt, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker, and draughtsman.
