OIL PAINTING: Man in a Turban, 1632
Compared to official Rembrandt portraits of the same year, this painting is notable for its brilliant manner and dramatic lighting. It was probably painted shortly after he moved from his native Leiden to Amsterdam, and in its exotic subject matter and style was certainly intended for a knowledgeable collector. Paintings of imaginary Persian, Ottoman or other "Eastern" princes were popular at the time due to new trade contacts between the Dutch and the Middle East. However, the model is a Dutchman who appears in other paintings by Rembrandt and artists in his circle.