Man in Oriental Costume ("The Noble Slav")

Signed and dated lower right: RHL [monogram] van. Rijn / 1632. In its bold composition and brilliant brushwork, this painting is typical of Rembrandt at a particular moment, shortly after he moved from his native Leiden to Amsterdam during the winter of 1631-32. Old men of great character, set in interiors with evocative lighting, had been depicted by Rembrandt as early as 1627, but the scale and theatricality of this canvas are unprecedented. The exotic subject was partly inspired by trade and diplomatic contacts with the Near East. (http://www.metmuseum.org)