Rembrandt – Self-Portrait at the Age of 63

Self-Portrait at the Age of 63 is one of Rembrandt’s last self-portraits, painted in 1669, a few months before his death: in a dark red coat with a fur collar and a beret, hands clasped, an aged face looks at us, caught by a strong light. The original, oil on canvas, is 86 cm high and 70.5 cm wide and hangs in the National Gallery in London. We paint it by hand in oil on canvas in 8 portrait sizes, from 40 x 49 to 172 x 200 cm, or to your own measurement, and send you a photograph before dispatch.

Self-Portrait at the Age of 63 – Rembrandt

What does Self-Portrait at the Age of 63 show?

Rembrandt is turned slightly and looks at us with dark, tired eyes. He wears a dark red coat with a fur collar and a dark beret, his hands clasped in front of him.

All the light is gathered on the face: on the high forehead, the tip of the nose and the folds beneath the eyes. The background, coat and hands, says the National Gallery, are painted thinly and in shadow, so that nothing draws the eye from the face.

Why is this self-portrait so moving?

Because we are looking into the eyes of a man in the last year of his life. The National Gallery writes that Rembrandt painted it as one of three self-portraits in the months before his death in October 1669; about 80 of his self-portraits survive, paintings, drawings and etchings.

Some see weariness and resignation in his eyes, others self-satisfaction or the hint of a smile. The gallery cautions that Rembrandt may have been driven less by soul-searching than by a painter’s challenge: how to paint old skin.

How did Rembrandt paint the face?

With dense paint that models the skin almost in three dimensions. According to the gallery, the sagging fold beneath his right eye is made with the swirl of a heavily loaded brush, and the blemishes on his forehead with blotches of coagulated paint.

The layers are translucent, like skin: greys, whites, pinks, purples and pale yellows. X-rays show that he first held a brush and maulstick and that the beret was larger and white; he changed all of this later. There is more in the Wikipedia article.

Where is the original, and whose was it?

In the National Gallery in London, inventory number NG221, usually in Room 22, in a 17th-century Dutch frame. The gallery bought it in 1851.

Before that it belonged to William van Huls in London; at his sale in 1722 it was bought by Thomas Brodrick, and it then stayed with the family of the Viscounts Midleton until it was sold to the gallery.

This self-portrait or another Rembrandt?

Self-Portrait at the Age of 63 suits a quiet study, a library or a bedroom, for people who value an honest gaze and maturity. Its self-assured companion from the same last years is the Self-Portrait with Two Circles.

From the last decade too come The Return of the Prodigal Son and The Jewish Bride, and for a thoughtful gaze Aristotle with a Bust of Homer. All the famous Rembrandt paintings we paint, from his first to his last, are on the Rembrandt page.

How does our painter paint your self-portrait?

This Rembrandt reproduction gives almost all its attention to the face. In oil on canvas the painter first lays in the dark background and the coat in thin layers, then builds up the face in thicker, translucent layers, as Rembrandt did.

The folds, blemishes and the glint of light on the forehead come last, in dense paint. An oil painting reproduction like this shows the age of the face in the relief of the paint too, which a paper print cannot do.

Which size is right for your room?

In short: 40 x 49 or 50 x 64 cm for a shelf, a bedside table or a narrow wall, 58 x 70 or 72 x 90 cm above a desk or chest of drawers, 90 x 113 and 114 x 146 cm for the living room, and 130 x 162 and 172 x 200 cm for large walls and hallways.

There are 8 portrait sizes (width x height): 40 x 49, 50 x 64, 58 x 70, 72 x 90, 90 x 113, 114 x 146, 130 x 162 and 172 x 200 cm. The original is 70.5 cm wide and 86 cm high, so 72 x 90 cm is almost its actual size. As a painting for the living room above a sofa, 90 x 113 cm works well, with the face a little larger than life.

Hang it so that Rembrandt’s eyes meet yours, with the centre about 150 cm from the floor.

Can I order another size or a frame?

Yes. The original is roughly 4 : 5 in proportion; in that ratio the face and the clasped hands keep their balance. Write to us with the size you want and we will prepare a quote.

You can have it rolled, on a stretcher bar or framed; our workshop in Slovenia takes care of that, as for every canvas painting. The 3D application is only for comparing frames; seeing the self-portrait on your own wall is a separate service. Plain dark wood follows the original’s Dutch frame, while antique gold brings out the warm light on the face.

When will the painting be with me?

We begin the self-portrait when you order and finish it within 15 to 45 working days. The parcel with Rembrandt’s last self-portrait crosses EU borders without customs. Before dispatch we send you a photograph of the finished painting; we change anything you would like different, and our returns policy applies to every order.

For a 60th or 70th birthday, a retirement or someone who values the wisdom of years and should choose the size, there is the wall art voucher.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the original Self-Portrait at the Age of 63?

In the National Gallery in London, inventory number NG221.

When was it painted?

In 1669, a few months before Rembrandt died in October of that year.

How many self-portraits did Rembrandt make?

According to the National Gallery about 80 survive, paintings, drawings and etchings together.

What did the X-rays show?

That Rembrandt first held a brush and maulstick, and that the beret was larger and white.

Is it a print?

No, a hand-painted copy, painted by the painter with a brush in oil on canvas.

How big is the original?

It is 86 cm high and 70.5 cm wide. Our sizes run from 40 x 49 to 172 x 200 cm.

Which size is closest to the original?

72 x 90 cm, only slightly larger than the original.

Does it make a good gift?

Yes, especially for a milestone birthday or a retirement, because it speaks of maturity and honesty.

• Subject: Rembrandt in the last year of his life, hands clasped, in a red coat with fur, his face in a strong light.
• Original: 1669, oil on canvas, 86 x 70.5 cm, National Gallery, London.
• Ours: painted by hand in oil on canvas, in 8 portrait sizes from 40 x 49 to 172 x 200 cm or made to measure.
• Worth knowing: it is one of three self-portraits from the year Rembrandt died.