Laughing Young Man

circle of Rembrandt van Rijn, c. 1629 - c. 1630

A young man wearing a painter’s cap, probably Rembrandt, laughs cheerfully at us. The painting is not a portrait, but rather a portrayal of an emotion. Rembrandt frequently used his own face to practice rendering expressions: smiling, angry, sad, or startled. This panel was long considered an early self-portrait by the artist. Now it is thought to be by a pupil in Rembrandt’s Leiden workshop.

  • Artwork typepainting
  • Object numberSK-A-3934
  • Dimensionsheight 41.2 cm x width 33.8 cm, depth 4 cm
  • Physical characteristicsolieverf op paneel