Self-Portrait with Two Circles

E6272

Self-Portrait with Two Circles is a late, enigmatic self-portrait by Rembrandt that showcases his mastery of light, texture, and psychological depth, featuring the artist standing before a mysterious pair of circles.


Statements (47)
Predicate Object
instanceOf painting
self-portrait
artHistoricalContext Dutch Golden Age
artist Rembrandt
artworkCondition well preserved
artworkType oil on canvas painting
chronologyWithinArtistOeuvre one of Rembrandt’s last self-portraits
collection Iveagh Bequest
colorPalette earth tones
strong chiaroscuro contrasts
countryOfOrigin Dutch Republic
creator Rembrandt
culturalSignificance one of the most discussed Rembrandt self-portraits
depictionType three-quarter-length figure
depicts Rembrandt
artist holding palette and brushes
artist standing before a wall
two circles
genre self-portrait
hasPart artist’s palette
fur-trimmed cloak
paintbrushes
two large circles on the wall behind the figure
white cap
iconographyNote mysterious circles have been interpreted as symbols of artistic perfection or geometry
inception circa 1665
circa 1666
locatedInTheAdministrativeTerritorialEntity London
United Kingdom
location Kenwood House
materialUsed oil paint
movement Baroque
Dutch Golden Age painting
notableFor enigmatic background circles
mastery of light and shadow
psychological depth
orientation vertical
owner English Heritage
period late Rembrandt period
subjectHeading Rembrandt self-portraits
surface canvas
technique chiaroscuro
impasto
theme artistic identity
self-reflection
status of the artist
titleLanguage English

Referenced by (3)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Kenwood House ("Self-Portrait with Two Circles by Rembrandt")
hasArtwork
Iveagh Bequest
hasNotableWork
Rembrandt van Rijn
notableWork

Please wait…