Bust of an Old Man Wearing a Fur Cap

This man with a dramatic profile was one Rembrandt van Rijn's favorite studio models. His wonderful fur hat makes him appear like a sultan or a visitor from afar. The Dutch would have considered this image a "tronie," a term used for studies of expression, physiognomy, or any kind of interesting personality. Such figures often wore garments that looked costly, foreign, "antique,' or simply curious, allowing artists like Rembrandt an opportunity to show off their mastery of depicting fur, cashmere, and other fabrics.