The Persian, Rembrandt van Rijn, 1632
etching, h 108mm × w 79mm More details
Already in the 18th century this print was known as ‘het Persiaantje’ (the little Persian), because the man’s clothing was perceived as having Oriental features. However, it is not genuine Iranian costume. Although Rembrandt lavished attention on rendering the fabrics, it remains an imaginary, pieced together outfit. This is actually a tronie, but then a full-length one.
