JAN LIEVENS
Bust of a Bearded Oriental Man with Turban.

Etching, circa 1630-31. 161x145 mm; 6½x5¾ inches, thread margins. Second state (of 2). A very good impression of this extremely scarce, early etching.

This introspective portrait of an old man in exotic costume is an early work by Lievens (1607-1674) from a series of etched imaginary heads from around 1630-32. It was executed at the time when Lievens was working in close collaboration with Rembrandt (1606-1669) in Leiden and when the two young artist's mutually influenced each other's work. Lievens was inspired by Rembrandt's contemporary etched portraits of men in oriental dress when he created this bust of an aged man wearing an unusual fur cap bound by a strip of cloth. Rembrandt in turn etched copies of this subject and two others from a series in 1635 (Hollstein 286-88; New Hollstein 149-151). Rembrandt added the etched inscription to his copy of this Bust of an Oriental Man, Facing Right (The Third Oriental Head)--"Rembrandt geretuckert"--as in "retouched or improved by Rembrandt." Hollstein 35.