Rembrandt with Plumed Cap and Lowered Sabre

Several things could have inspired Rembrandt's vast program of self-portraiture. There was the urge for self-promotion, the need to satisfy collectors who wanted images of the famous artist, and the interest in self-discovery-the seventeenth-century Dutch idea that one could shape one's character by trying on different selves. To help him act out his various roles, Rembrandt kept a supply of old-fashioned weapons and costumes for props. The saber mentioned in the title existed until he trimmed the knee-length figure down to a small oval. Rembrandt used his own image as the basis for this print but added a wart to his face.