The Man with the Golden Helmet

The painting "The Man with the Golden Helmet" ranks as one of the most famous works by Rembrandt (1606–1669) – but hang on a minute…

It’s actually not a Rembrandt at all! Art historians first started seriously questioning the attribution of this work in 1970.

Many now believe it was painted not by Rembrandt himself, but by one of his students in imitation of the master’s style.

The picture does not represent the armour of its time: The man’s helmet is a cabasset from the late 16th century, and would already have looked like an antique to the painting’s first viewers.

The lighting and composition also draw attention to the helmet.

The light source from the upper left falls directly onto the helmet, emphasising the brilliant shine of its yellow-gold metal.

The lavishness of the helmet is achieved purely by painterly means, such as the thick application of paint (impasto).

The picture may offer some clues as to the actual artist’s individual style, particularly in the modelling of the face.

Composed of short, hatch-like strokes, the sitter’s face is partly hidden in the shadow of the helm , nearly fading into the background.

In the search for this mysterious painter’s identity and a reattribution, this distinctive brushwork might offer an initial clue. We still don’t know who created this renowned masterpiece.