Self-Portrait as the Apostle Paul

Rembrandt painted this self-portrait in 1661, at the age of 55. He had been bankrupt two years earlier, forced to sell his house and his collection at auction. He was still painting, but the commissions had dried up and his personal life was in disarray. He shows himself as the Apostle Paul, identifiable by the sword in his left hand and the manuscript in his lap. He wears a brown robe and a turban, costume elements from Rembrandt's extensive collection of studio props. His face is aged, lined, and weary. The light falls from the upper left, illuminating his forehead and cheek while the lower half of his face recedes into shadow. The background is dark brown, almost black. Rembrandt painted self-portraits throughout his career, roughly 40 paintings and 30 etchings. The early ones show a young man trying out expressions. The middle ones show a successful artist in elaborate costume. The late ones, like this one, are something else. He is no longer performing success. He is using his own face to study aging, doubt, and the weight of experience. The choice to paint himself as Paul is significant. Paul was the apostle who wrote about grace, suffering, and the limits of human effort. Rembrandt, in 1661, had reason to think about all three. The painting is roughly 32 by 27 inches, a manageable size for a portrait. The brushwork is loose and direct, with the face built up in thick strokes of warm and cool tones. The turban is painted in broad, confident marks. Oil on canvas, 82.5 by 68 centimeters. Rembrandt used a limited palette of browns, blacks, and ochres, with a single warm highlight on the forehead. The sword blade is a thin line of grey, barely visible against the dark background. This portrait works well in a study, library, or bedroom with dark or warm-toned walls. The 16x20 framed version in a black frame is the most versatile choice. The somber palette pairs with wood furniture and warm lighting. The painting entered the Rijksmuseum collection in 1936. This is a public domain artwork, sourced from the Rijksmuseum via Wikimedia Commons. We print it on archival matte paper at sizes from 8x10 to 24x36 inches, framed or unframed. The image is printed at full resolution with no cropping.