The Philosopher

Rembrandt Workshop (Possibly Willem Drost)

National Gallery of Art

Shown from the chest up, a light-skinned man with a gaunt face, wearing a large, dark brown hat, almost fills this vertical painting. His chest faces us, leaning over his hands, which are folded along the bottom of the painting. His head turns to our left, and he looks in that direction. His deep set, hazel eyes are rimmed in pink under dark, thick brows. His long nose has a slight bump at the bridge, and his pale coral-red mouth is slightly open, creating shaded hollows under high cheek bones. His brown beard is trimmed straight across the bottom. The soft, oversized, earth-brown beret covers most of his head, leaving just a fringe of dark brown hair along his forehead. A brocaded robe with bands of rust red and gold is draped over a mustard-yellow garment with a low scooped neckline. The garment is layered over a high-necked, pleated, ivory-white undergarment. A thick gold chain hangs low across his chest, and the background is mottled with honey and tawny brown.