This is the Self Portrait by Rembrandt van Rijn and was painted in 1661. Rembrandt painted himself over 40 times throughout his life, and this one is him at age 55. This plain portrait is painted in muted colors. Rembrandt shows himself in everyday clothes, a painters hat and a housecoat. The background is equally plain, decorated only by two mysterious circles. Up close, the picture dissolves into rough streaks and dabs of paint. Try and look at the hand holding the palette, you can hardly make out the fingers. But if you step back, the painting looks smooth and clear.
