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Man with a Magnifying Glass

early 1660s
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 616
This portrait most likely depicts the Amsterdam auctioneer Pieter Haringh, 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.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Man with a Magnifying Glass
  • Artist: Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn) (Dutch, Leiden 1606–1669 Amsterdam)
  • Date: early 1660s
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Dimensions: 36 x 29 1/4 in. (91.4 x 74.3 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Bequest of Benjamin Altman, 1913
  • Object Number: 14.40.621
  • Curatorial Department: European Paintings

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Abraham Casting out Hagar and Ishmael, Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn) Dutch, Etching with touches of drypoint
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Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)
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St. Jerome Reading, Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn) Dutch, Etching
St. Jerome Reading
Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)
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Return of the Prodigal Son, Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn) Dutch, Etching, pen and ink
Return of the Prodigal Son
Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)
1620–69
St. Jerome in Prayer, Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn) Dutch, Etching
St. Jerome in Prayer
Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)
1635
Portrait of Lieven Willemsz van Coppenol, Writing Master (the larger plate), Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn) Dutch, Etching and drypoint; fourth state
Portrait of Lieven Willemsz van Coppenol, Writing Master (the larger plate)
Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)
1658

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