Self-portrait

Abstract

In his Rembrandt monograph of 1986, Tümpel eliminated without commentary this painting from Rembrandt’s oeuvre, labelling it as a workshop product.¹ As will become apparent in this entry, this painting cannot be so easily rejected; in fact, strong arguments can be introduced in favour of maintaining the traditional attribution to Rembrandt. Admittedly, at first sight it does not fit easily into Rembrandt’s oeuvre, being unusual both in execution and composition. However, the latter point can be largely explained by the reconstruction put forward below of the panel’s highly complex material history. As to the first point, the painting must be seen in the context of the remarkable diversity of the work produced by Rembrandt and his workshop in the 1640s.