Rembrandt's self-portraits at the Louvre: works and journey
Four paintings, a print in reserve and almost thirty years apart: the Louvre allows you to follow Rembrandt from the brilliant affirmation of 1633 to the artist at work of 1660.
Immediate response
What self-portraits of Rembrandt can you see at the Louvre?
The main route currently brings together four paintings in room 844 of the Richelieu wing: Self-portrait, bareheaded (1633), Self-portrait with hat and gold chain (1633), Self-portrait with hat against a backdrop of architecture (first state around 1634 -1635, resumed around 1640) and Self-portrait with easel and painter's handrest (1660).
This response, however, requires crucial precision. The four panels or canvases do not have the same degree of unity of execution. For INV 1746, the Louvre recognizes a complex process: the face and part of the collar can return to Rembrandt, while the headdress, clothing and architectural decor are later contributions to the non-Rembranesque doing. We must therefore regard this object as a stratified work, not as a self-portrait that remains intact from the workshop.
The four paintings
A small gallery, four ways to introduce yourself
The strength of the whole is less due to the number than to the differences. In a few meters, the visitor goes from a steep face to a ceremonial costume, from a transformed panel to a large canvas where the artist asserts his profession.
1. Self-portrait, bare head
The face springs from a background which deliberately seems not very finished. The light catches the forehead, nose and cheek, while the periphery unravels. Under the garment appears a collar warmer, a military accessory than the Louvre notice linked to Rembrandt's taste for disguises. "Tête nu" therefore does not mean absence of role: the painter combines a direct presence and a historic costume.
The oval visible today is probably not the initial format, presumably rectangular. This change reminds us that the museum object has a material history. The intensity we admire results from both the painting from 1633 and how the panel was transformed, framed and transmitted.
Attribution to RembrandtVisible room 844
2. Self-portrait with hat and gold chain
The same year, Rembrandt chose a completely different rhetoric. The hat, the chain and the oval format construct an image of confidence. The Louvre sees it as an "Flemish" artist's statement, in dialogue with Rubens and Van Dyck. He does not it is not a neutral statement of everyday clothing: the accessories elevate the painter to the rank of the characters he portrays.
Above all, compare the density of the bust with the more raw presence of INV 1744. Here, browns, golds and black organize public dignity. The signature "Rembrandt f. 1633" is part of this staging by the author. The date, long read 1634, is given today as 1633 by the museum.
Attribution to RembrandtRevolutionary seizure, 1794
3. Self-portrait with hat against an architectural background
This is the problem work of the course. The panel first bore a student composition inspired by Good Samaritan engraved in 1634. It was then used for a self-portrait whose x-ray reveals a plumed hairstyle, before receiving other interventions. The rectangular format has also been transformed into an oval.
The current position of the Louvre is nuanced: the face and part of the collar appear to be Rembrandt's; the headdress, clothing and architecture are later additions. The signature and date 1637 have been added. This notice constitutes an excellent textbook case: an attribution is not limited to a name placed under a frame, it can describe several phases, several hands and different states.
Original partially overpaintedIntervention of another hand
A useful comparison: New York, the same year
The Louvre and the Metropolitan Museum each retain a self-portrait dated 1660. In New York, the framing brings the face closer together and makes impasto the real subject: the paste around the eyes and nose seems almost modeled. At the Louvre, the whole body, the easel, the brushes and the handrest broaden the identity: Rembrandt no longer just shows his face, he shows the practice that defines him.
This confrontation prevents 1660 from being reduced to a single aging image. In the same year, the artist can produce an effigy concentrated on the surface of the face and a large professional statement. Late style is a set of decisions, not a single formula.
Comparative workMet, inv. 14.40.618
Beyond the room
The Louvre also has a printed face
The journey does not stop at the paintings exhibited. The Department of Graphic Arts preserves in particular Rembrandt supported, signed and dated 1639. In this etching enhanced with drypoint, the painter leans on a stone ledge and constructs a cultivated, meditative image, reminiscent of Renaissance portraits.
The sheet belongs to the Edmond de Rothschild collection, entered by donation in 1935. It is kept in reserve and can be consulted by appointment in the Graphic Arts room: it must therefore not be presented as a hanging work permanently next to the paintings. This distinction between "preserved at the Louvre" and "visible in the rooms" is essential to prepare for a realistic visit.
The print also shows that the self-portrait was a reproducible laboratory for Rembrandt. The plaque allowed multiple states and prints; the image circulated differently than a single painting. The slight modeling obtained by the sizes, the velvety blacks of the drypoint and the clever pose develop a public identity with means opposed to the thickness of the oil.
To remember: four paintings are indicated as visible in room 844. Prints and drawings are generally kept in reserve and accessible according to the department's terms and conditions.
The course masterpiece
1660: Rembrandt not only poses, he works
With its 111 centimeters high and 85 centimeters wide, theSelf-portrait with easel and painter's handrest changes the scale of the encounter. Rembrandt stands, slightly away from the viewer. The white canvas cap belongs to the domestic sphere and the workshop; the archaic habit, however, evokes the 16th century and places the painter in a prestigious genealogy, close to Titian.
The easel remains partially off-camera, but its diagonal is enough to define the work space. In one hand, brushes and handrests are not decorative accessories: they designate a loom. The massive body advances, while the objects extend the gesture towards the invisible canvas. The viewer almost occupies the place of the painting that Rembrandt is painting.
Technical examinations revealed repentance: a large dark beret preceded the current cap; the pose was more frontal; the hand with the brushes was elsewhere. These changes prove that the image was constructed by essays. They do not provide access to an "inner truth", but document a pictorial process.
The painting was acquired for Louis XIV around 1671, without certain provenance. It therefore belonged very early to a royal collection, less than two years after Rembrandt's death. Its old entrance explains its presence in the route history of the Louvre well before the modern creation of a museum dedicated solely to the artist.
History of collections
How did these works arrive at the Louvre?
The large self-portrait with easel from 1660 was acquired for Louis XIV. Its previous provenance remains undetermined.
The Self-portrait with a hat against a backdrop of architecture was purchased in London for Louis XVI by the merchant AJ Paillet, with the approval of Hubert Robert.
INV 1746 is probably exhibited at the opening of the Museum, under the designation of portrait of the author.
The Self-Portrait with the Hat and the Gold Chain enters the Museum following a revolutionary seizure by the Duchess of Mortemart.
The Self-Portrait, Bare Head is attested at the Louvre. Its precise origin remains unknown; a mention of "conquests" results from confusion with a painting returned to Cassel after 1815.
The Edmond de Rothschild collection is donated to the Louvre, bringing a major set of prints, including the engraved self-portrait from 1639 presented here.
Compare without simplifying
Costume, light and status: what evolves
| Work | Self-image | Light and matter | Point of vigilance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bare head, 1633 | Direct presence, but military collar lift under clothing. | Face strongly modeled against a background that appears unfinished. | Oval format probably posterior to the rectangular panel. |
| Toque and chain, 1633 | Social and artistic affirmation, dialogue with Flemish portraiture. | Golden and black accents, more constructed bust. | The date is 1633, not 1634 according to the current record. |
| Architectural background, 1634 -1640 | Prestigious but now composite effigy. | Several pictorial campaigns and transformations of the support. | Face probably of the master; many elements of another hand. |
| On the easel, 1660 | Identity based on the work and rank of the creative artist. | Earthy palette, free matter, light constructed by layers. | Documented repentance; provenance before royal purchase uncertain. |
Visiting method
Five actions to look at the paintings yourself
Back off
At three meters, first observe the silhouette, oval, bust position and relationship to the bottom.
Get closer
Without exceeding the authorized distance, identify impasto, glacis, rework and areas left open.
Compare 1633
Go from barehead to gold chain several times. The same face produces two almost opposite statuses.
Read the cartel
Check support, dimensions and attribution. Before INV 1746, nuances of vocabulary are essential.
Look for the job
In the 1660 work, follow the easel, hand, brushes and handrest before returning to the gaze.
Extend your gaze
Explore Rembrandt and the works of the Louvre
The store brings together Rembrandt's works kept at the Louvre as well as self-portraits available in hand-painted reproductions. The links below correspond to collections and products actually present.
Frequently asked questions
FAQs
How many of Rembrandt's self-portraits are on display at the Louvre?
Official notices currently indicate four paintings visible in room 844. The hanging may change: consult the Louvre notices before your visit.
In which room should you see Rembrandt's self-portraits?
They are indicated in room 844, Richelieu wing, level 2, within the course dedicated to Rembrandt and his entourage.
What is Rembrandt's oldest self-portrait at the Louvre?
Two paintings are dated 1633: Self-portrait, bareheaded and Self-portrait with hat and gold chain.
Is the Self-Portrait with Hat against a Background of Architecture entirely by Rembrandt?
No according to the current state of the instructions. The face and part of the collar appear to be Rembrandt's, while the headdress, garment and architectural background result from subsequent interventions by another hand.
Why is Rembrandt wearing a gold chain?
It contributes to an image of prestige and artistic affirmation. It should not be read automatically as proof of a decoration actually received: in self-portraits, the costume often constructs a role.
What does Rembrandt hold in the 1660 self-portrait?
He holds brushes and a handrest, a wand used to stabilize the hand during work. The easel completes this explicit presentation of the active painter.
Does the Louvre keep engraved self-portraits of Rembrandt?
Yes, in particular Rembrandt supported from 1639 in the Edmond de Rothschild collection. The work is kept in reserve and can be consulted by appointment, not permanently exhibited.
Can we photograph the works?
Museum visit rules may change. Signage must be followed on site; when authorized, photography must generally be done without flash or distracting equipment.
Main sources
Official notices consulted
- Louvre Museum - Self-portrait, bareheaded, INV 1744 : date, dimensions, support, history and location.
- Louvre Museum - Self-portrait with hat and gold chain, INV 1745 : signature, provenance and revolutionary entry.
- Louvre Museum - Self-portrait with hat against a backdrop of architecture, INV 1746 : execution phases, overpainted and nuanced attribution.
- Louvre Museum - Self-portrait with easel and painter's handrest, INV 1747 : repentances, dimensions, royal acquisition and technical analysis.
- Louvre Museum - Rembrandt supported, 2460 LR/Recto : technique, dimensions and consultation methods.
- Metropolitan Museum of Art - Self-Portrait, 1660 : comparison with the self-portrait painted the same year.
- National Gallery - Self Portrait at the Age of 34, 1640 : resurgent model and construction of artist status.
The attributions and material statements are formulated according to the institutional notices consulted in August 2026. The room locations and access conditions may be modified by the museum.
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