Jan Cornelisz. Sylvius
1646
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Jan Cornelisz. Sylvius is a 1646 ink by Rembrandt, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This is a black-and-white portrait of an older man with a white beard and fur collar. He’s holding a book in his left hand and resting his right hand on his chest. The background is plain, keeping all the focus on his face and clothing. The artist used lines to create deep shadows and texture, especially in his beard and fur. This was a way to make the portrait feel almost three-dimensional. Next, look up etching, drypoint, burin to see how Rembrandt made these marks.
