Self Portrait as the Apostle Paul

Here Rembrandt is 55 or 56 years old. He has portrayed himself as the apostle Paul, shown together with his traditional attributes: a sword - the hilt of which is sticking out of his coat - and a manuscript written in letters which resemble Hebrew. In Protestant circles St. Paul was revered as the most important preacher of the Word of God. From the collections of Jabach (Paris), Corsini (Rome), Lord Kinnaird (Rossie Priory). Gift of Mr and Mrs De Bruijn-van der Leeuw, Muri, 1961.