Old Man with a Gold Chain

Old Man with a Gold Chain by Rembrandt van Rijn: This compelling figure—fancifully adorned with a steel gorget (armor protecting the throat and upper chest), g…

What to notice

The gold chain catches light against the old man’s dark clothing; compare that material sparkle with the heavily modeled face and searching, individualized expression.

Discover

This compelling figure—fancifully adorned with a steel gorget (armor protecting the throat and upper chest), golden chain, and plumed beret—represents a new commodity on the Northern European art market: a tronie , or character study. While artists had created such studies since the 1500s, Rembrandt and his colleague Jan Lievens made these images into more affordable alternatives to portraits, heightening their appeal by introducing bold visual elements like dramatic lighting, whimsical costumes, and dynamic poses…