painting
Rembrandt, Harmensz van Rijn (1606 – 1669, Dutch)
Netherlands, Amsterdam (place of manufacture)
1655
oil on canvas
unframed dimensions: 1375 x 1044 mm; framed: 1656 x 1326 x 115 mm
Painting entitled ‘A man in armour’, by Rembrandt, 1655. Painted in Amsterdam, where Rembrandt ran a large studio, this was intended for a rich patron. The half-length figure wears armour of a type found in Holland in the seventeenth century and holds a lance and shield. It has been suggested that he represents Mars the God of War, Achilles the hero of Greek mythology or Alexander the Great, King of Macedonia, or that it was simply an opportunity for Rembrandt to show his skill at painting different surfaces. It is now one of the great treasures of Glasgow’s art collections and its authenticity and high quality are never doubted

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