English

Rembrandt van Rijn’s Portrait of a Man with Arms Akimbo

In November 2015, the Agnes received a spectacular gift of art from Drs Alfred and Isabel Bader: Rembrandt van Rijn’s Portrait of a Man with Arms Akimbo . This captivating portrait, signed and dated 1658, joins two Rembrandt tronies, or character studies, already in The Bader Collection. The Head of an Old Man in a Cap of 1630 displays the artist’s sensitive exploration of the topography of an aged face in the artist’s refined early style. The Head of a Man in a Turban (Study for a Rabbi?) of around 1661, in contrast, demonstrates Rembrandt’s superb treatment of a man’s head subtly illuminated by two light sources. The Portrait of a Man with Arms Akimbo offers a compelling foil to these two works. In the well-illuminated visage and assertive stance, the subject embodies a bold psychological presence, attesting to Rembrandt’s mastery of conveying human character. This new acquisition beautifully complements the paintings by Rembrandt and his school in The Bader Collection.

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