Artwork
Young Man in a Turban

Young Man in a Turban is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Rembrandt van Rijn. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
About this work
Technique & Style
Stylistically, it presents a portrait of a man wearing a turban, rendered in the mid-17th century manner associated with Rembrandt and his circle.
The work is executed in oil paint on a panel support, measuring 57.3 cm in height and 47.4 cm in width. Stylistically, it presents a portrait of a man wearing a turban, rendered in the mid-17th century manner associated with Rembrandt and his circle. While traditionally linked to Rembrandt, the attribution has also been associated with his follower Samuel van Hoogstraten. The painting dates to 1650 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
History & Provenance
The painting Young Man in a Turban was created in 1650 using oil paint on a panel support. While the work is attributed to Rembrandt in general records, specific cataloging identifies the creator as a follower of Rembrandt, with Samuel van Hoogstraten also cited as a potential creator. The artwork is currently held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
As a portrait depicting a man wearing a turban, the piece measures 57.3 cm in height and 47.4 cm in width. The specific commission details and the complete chain of ownership prior to its arrival at the Art Institute are not detailed in the provided records.
The painting Young Man in a Turban is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. While the work is attributed to a follower of Rembrandt, some records identify Samuel van Hoogstraten as the creator. The piece dates to 1650 and is executed in oil paint on panel.
The provided sources do not contain specific inventory or accession numbers for the work, nor do they list any exhibition history.
Context
Young Man in a Turban (1650) demonstrates Rembrandt's mastery of portraiture through its psychological depth and chiaroscuro technique, reflecting his late-period interest in individual character studies. The work's attribution to the artist's circle, confirmed by Art Institute of Chicago provenance, situates it within 17th-century Dutch portrait traditions while highlighting Rembrandt's enduring influence on contemporaries like Samuel van Hoogstraten. Its composition, combining realistic rendering with symbolic elements such as the turban, bridges Rembrandt's personal style with broader European artistic exchanges, as documented in scholarly analyses of Dutch Golden Age painting.
The painting's physical dimensions (57.3 x 47.4 cm) and oil-on-panel medium underscore its technical execution within the genre conventions of the period.
Overview
Created circa 1650, this oil portrait by Rembrandt van Rijn presents a young man wearing an elaborate turban. The figure is set against an unadorned black background, which isolates his face and headgear, emphasizing the subtle modeling of light across his features.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter’s expression is sober, with a slightly ajar mouth and dark hair visible beneath the soft, voluminous turban. The attire and pose suggest a private, perhaps informal study rather than a formal commission, inviting viewers to contemplate the individual’s identity and mood.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, known mononymously as Rembrandt, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker, and draughtsman.

















