Who painted Self-Portrait (?) with Plumed Cap and Lowered Sabre?

Self-Portrait (?) with Plumed Cap and Lowered Sabre was painted by Rembrandt van Rijn in 1634.

Where can I see Self-Portrait (?) with Plumed Cap and Lowered Sabre?

Self-Portrait (?) with Plumed Cap and Lowered Sabre is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Self-Portrait (?) with Plumed Cap and Lowered Sabre?

Self-Portrait (?) with Plumed Cap and Lowered Sabre is associated with Baroque.

Can I buy a print of Self-Portrait (?) with Plumed Cap and Lowered Sabre?

Museum-quality prints of Self-Portrait (?) with Plumed Cap and Lowered Sabre are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Self-Portrait (?) with Plumed Cap and Lowered Sabre

Rembrandt van Rijn , 1634

Self-Portrait (?) with Plumed Cap and Lowered Sabre is an ink print by the Baroque artist Rembrandt van Rijn. It dates from 1634 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Self-Portrait (?

Inscription: Inscribed:lower right in plate above arm: Rembrandt / f. 1634

About this work

Overview

Created in 1634, this etching by Rembrandt van Rijn presents a figure dressed in an elaborate plumed hat and holding a lowered sabre. The composition focuses on the solitary individual, whose posture conveys a sense of poise and self‑assurance. The work is catalogued as a portrait, though its identification as a true self‑portrait remains uncertain.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure is rendered as a gentleman in fashionable attire, the feathered cap indicating status, while the relaxed position of the sword suggests readiness without aggression. The ambiguous nature of the portrait invites speculation about identity, allowing viewers to consider themes of personal representation and the artist’s possible self‑examination.

Technique & Style

Executed as an etching, the image was produced by incising lines into a copper plate, which was then inked and pressed onto paper. Rembrandt’s handling of line and tone demonstrates his early mastery of the medium, employing delicate hatching to model the fabric and cap, and deeper shadows to give the figure volume.

History & Provenance

The print dates to the middle of Rembrandt’s early period, a time when he was experimenting with portraiture and printmaking.

The print dates to the middle of Rembrandt’s early period, a time when he was experimenting with portraiture and printmaking. While the work has been included in several catalogues of his prints, its provenance is limited to museum and private collections that acquired it through the 19th and 20th centuries, reflecting its continued scholarly interest despite the unresolved question of authorship.