Self-Portrait in a Velvet Cap with Plume

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606–1669)

The attribution here is the auction house's. The project does not itself attribute, and it does not treat an auction attribution as settled. What is being claimed at 'probable' is that the sheet is an impression from Rembrandt's plate; the question of when it was printed is separate and open.

• 5Auction catalogueAuction catalogue entry for the lot as offered, Bonhams New York, 2023 · Bonhams · 2023on request
• 8Unreviewed submissionOwner's working object record, assembled 2026 · Owner / steward · 2026-08

What would change thisAn examination by a specialist in Old Master prints concluding that the sheet is a later restrike from Rembrandt's plate, a reproduction after the composition, or a copy by another hand. Any of these would keep the composition and change the object.

CL-ARTISTStated by Bonhams, as cataloguerAdded 2026-08-12Not independently verified

Self-Portrait in a Velvet Cap with Plume

Titles of Rembrandt's etchings are conventions applied by cataloguers, not by Rembrandt. Different catalogues and print rooms use different ones for the same plate. The census records each institution's own title verbatim rather than imposing one.

• 8Unreviewed submissionOwner's working object record, assembled 2026 · Owner / steward · 2026-08

What would change thisAlignment with the title used in the New Hollstein catalogue and by the major print rooms, which may differ.

CL-TITLEAdded 2026-08-12Not independently verified

1638

This is the date Rembrandt worked the plate. It is NOT the date this sheet was printed. The two can be separated by decades or centuries, and separating them is the central open question about this object.

• 5Auction catalogueAuction catalogue entry for the lot as offered, Bonhams New York, 2023 · Bonhams · 2023on request
• 8Unreviewed submissionOwner's working object record, assembled 2026 · Owner / steward · 2026-08

What would change thisNothing likely; the date of the plate is well established in the literature for this composition.

CL-DATEStated by Bonhams, as cataloguerAdded 2026-08-12Not independently verified

Unknown

The single most consequential unknown about this sheet. Rembrandt's plates continued to be printed long after his death. Until the paper is examined, this record makes no claim about when the impression was pulled.

• 1Physical observationNo conservator examination has taken place · 2026-08-12

What would change thisIdentification of the paper's watermark against a dated reference; chain-line measurement compared against dated impressions; assessment of plate wear against securely dated impressions in institutional collections.

CL-PRINTING-DATEAdded 2026-08-12Not independently verified

Bartsch 20

• 8Unreviewed submissionOwner's working object record, assembled 2026 · Owner / steward · 2026-08

What would change thisDirect comparison of the composition against the Bartsch entry and against institutional records carrying the same number.

CL-CATREF-BARTSCHAdded 2026-08-12Not independently verified

New Hollstein 170

New Hollstein is the current standard catalogue for this material and its numbering is what a print room will expect. Verifying this number is a prerequisite for the census being coherent.

• 8Unreviewed submissionOwner's working object record, assembled 2026 · Owner / steward · 2026-08

What would change thisConsultation of the New Hollstein Rembrandt volumes themselves. The project does not currently hold a copy.

CL-CATREF-NHAdded 2026-08-12Not independently verified

Etching, possibly with drypoint

The working record says 'etching and drypoint'. Whether drypoint is present on this plate, and whether burr survives in this particular impression, are two different questions — the second is a wear indicator and bears directly on when the sheet was printed.

• 8Unreviewed submissionOwner's working object record, assembled 2026 · Owner / steward · 2026-08

What would change thisExamination under magnification for the burr characteristic of drypoint, by a conservator or print specialist.

CL-MEDIUMAdded 2026-08-12Not independently verified

Laid paper

European paper of this period is overwhelmingly laid, so the claim is unsurprising — but it is currently an assumption, not an observation, and it is recorded at that level.

• 8Unreviewed submissionOwner's working object record, assembled 2026 · Owner / steward · 2026-08

What would change thisTransmitted-light examination showing chain and laid lines, which would confirm laid paper and give measurable chain-line spacing.

CL-SUPPORTAdded 2026-08-12Not independently verified

Not yet examined

• 1Physical observationNo conservator examination has taken place · 2026-08-12

What would change thisTransmitted-light imaging. A trimmed sheet may carry only a fragment of a watermark, or none at all — a null result here is a real result and will be recorded as one.

CL-WATERMARKAdded 2026-08-12Not independently verified

Recorded as state III, without signature

The working record describes this as 'state III of IV'. The number of states recognised for this plate should be taken from the standard catalogue rather than from the acquisition paperwork; see RQ-02. Until that check is done, this record states what the source said and marks it as a report, not a determination.

• 8Unreviewed submissionOwner's working object record, assembled 2026 · Owner / steward · 2026-08
• 5Auction catalogueAuction catalogue entry for the lot as offered, Bonhams New York, 2023 · Bonhams · 2023on request

What would change thisComparison of the diagnostic features of this impression against the state descriptions in the standard catalogue and against dated institutional impressions.

CL-STATEStated by Working record, following the acquisition documentationAdded 2026-08-12Not independently verified

Approximately 137 × 104 mm

The working record does not say whether this is the plate mark or the sheet. Because the sheet is described as trimmed, the distinction matters: a trimmed sheet can be smaller than the plate. Both measurements will be recorded separately once taken.

• 8Unreviewed submissionOwner's working object record, assembled 2026 · Owner / steward · 2026-08

What would change thisRemeasurement under a conservation protocol, recording plate mark and sheet separately, to the millimetre, with the measuring convention stated.

CL-DIMENSIONSAdded 2026-08-12Not independently verified

None recorded; verso not yet examined

The absence of a record is not a record of absence. Nothing has been examined.

• 1Physical observationNo conservator examination has taken place · 2026-08-12

What would change thisVerso photography. Collector marks, dealer codes and pencil inscriptions are the most common route into a print's earlier ownership, and they are usually on the back.

CL-MARKSAdded 2026-08-12Not independently verified

Trimmed at the left margin; wrinkling and dampstaining at lower left, extending partly into the image; unmounted at purchase

Condition language from a sale catalogue is written to describe a lot, not to document an object. It is preserved verbatim where possible and will be superseded, not overwritten, when a conservator's report exists.

• 8Unreviewed submissionOwner's working object record, assembled 2026 · Owner / steward · 2026-08
• 5Auction catalogueAuction catalogue entry for the lot as offered, Bonhams New York, 2023 · Bonhams · 2023on request

What would change thisA condition report by a paper conservator, which would replace this summary field by field and add severity, extent and stability assessments this record cannot make.

CL-CONDITION-SUMMARYStated by Working record, following the acquisition documentationAdded 2026-08-12Not independently verified

Private collection, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Stated at city level by policy. Storage location, address, security arrangements and insurance values are not published and are not held in this database. See the security and privacy policy.

• 2Primary documentBonhams invoice and purchase documentation, New York, 2023 · Bonhams · 2023on request

CL-CUSTODYStated by OwnerAdded 2026-08-12Verified 2026-08-12

Unknown

Roughly 385 years are unaccounted for between the plate being worked and the 2023 sale. The provenance timeline shows this as an explicit gap rather than beginning the story in 2023.

What would change thisA consignor's name from the auction house, a collector's mark on the verso, an old mount or backing board, a dealer's stock number, or an appearance in an earlier sale catalogue.

CL-EARLIER-PROVENANCEAdded 2026-08-12Not independently verified

Bonhams, New York, 2023

This is the best-evidenced fact on the page, because it is the only one backed by a primary document the project actually holds.

• 2Primary documentBonhams invoice and purchase documentation, New York, 2023 · Bonhams · 2023on request

What would change thisNothing — the transaction is documented by invoice. The sale name, date and lot number still need to be transcribed into this record.

CL-ACQUISITIONStated by OwnerAdded 2026-08-12Not independently verified

CC0 1.0 Universal — no rights reserved over the descriptive metadata

Metadata is released without restriction so that it can be reused, aggregated and corrected by anyone. The written text of the site is CC BY 4.0.

• 2Primary documentRights and licensing policy of this project · The Rembrandt Open Impression Project · 2026-08-12

CL-RIGHTS-METADATAStated by ProjectAdded 2026-08-12Verified 2026-08-12

No images of this impression are published

The underlying work is in the public domain. Photographs of it do not exist yet. When they do, the licence for each derivative will be stated on the image itself.

• 1Physical observationNo conservator examination has taken place · 2026-08-12
• 2Primary documentRights and licensing policy of this project · The Rembrandt Open Impression Project · 2026-08-12

CL-RIGHTS-IMAGESStated by ProjectAdded 2026-08-12Verified 2026-08-12