Rembrandt van Rijn and Workshop
Man with a Sword
(Leiden 1606 – 1669 Amsterdam)
1644
Oil on canvas
102.23 × 88.9 cm
Signed and dated lower right: “Rembrandt·f. 1644”
The Leiden Collection, New York
This enigmatic portrait, executed in 1644 and signed by Rembrandt himself, presents a richly dressed young man seated in shadow, his hands resting on the elaborately ornamented hilt of an Ottoman-style sword. His attire—plush velvet beret, gold chain with medallion, and a deeply toned jerkin over fine ruffled sleeves—evokes the aesthetic of an earlier era, aligning with the 17th-century Dutch penchant for historical or “fancy dress” portraiture.
Though long attributed solely to Rembrandt, Man with a Sword is now understood as a product of his workshop, likely involving the hand of a close pupil or assistant under the master’s supervision. Technical analysis, including pigment and ground composition, has confirmed its origin within Rembrandt’s studio, with the use of a quartz ground—a mixture of river sand and clay bound in oil—characteristic of works from his atelier post-1640.
The painting remains a compelling blend of theatrical costume and psychological immediacy, its sitter anonymous yet vividly present. It is housed in The Leiden Collection, New York.
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