Rembrandt (1606-1669)
Man with a Magnifying Glass
early 1660s
Oil on canvas, 91.4 x 74.3 cm
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
This portrait most likely depicts the Amsterdam auctioneer Pieter Haringh (1609–1685), who once handled the sale of a famous portrait by the Italian Renaissance master Raphael that served Rembrandt as a source of inspiration. The sitter may have used the magnifying glass in his hand to evaluate paintings and other luxury goods circulating on the busy Amsterdam art market. Like his wife in the pendant portrait also on view here, the sitter wears a form of fancy dress that has little to do with Dutch clothing worn at the time. (MET)