Portrait of Jan Six by Rembrandt: Face, Gloves and Red Cloak

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A portrait of a friend

Jan Six came from a wealthy Amsterdam family of cloth merchants. He was a poet, a collector and a friend of Rembrandt, and he later became burgomaster of Amsterdam. Rembrandt painted his portrait in 1654.

The painting has remained in the Six family ever since and is still in the Six Collection in Amsterdam.

A thoughtful face

Jan Six’s face under a broad black hat, framed by reddish hair — Jan Six’s thoughtful face.

Six looks out with a calm, thoughtful expression, as if pausing on his way out. His face is modelled with rich, warm paint, framed by reddish hair and a broad black hat.

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Gloves painted in a few strokes

Jan Six’s hand pulling on a glove, painted in loose broad strokes — The glove, painted in a few strokes.

He is pulling on a glove. The hands and glove are painted with a few broad, quick strokes, astonishingly free for the time. Up close they look almost abstract; from a distance they become a perfect gesture.

A red cloak over one shoulder

The red cloak with gold buttons thrown over Jan Six’s shoulder — The red cloak and its bold strokes.

A scarlet cloak with gold buttons is thrown over his shoulder, painted with bold, dragged strokes. The rapid handling of the clothes contrasts with the more careful face.

Questions about Portrait of Jan Six

Who was Jan Six?

An Amsterdam poet, collector and friend of Rembrandt, later burgomaster of the city.

Where is it?

Six Collection, Amsterdam, still owned by the family.

When was it painted?

In 1654.

What is special about the hands?

They are painted with a few loose strokes, an unusually free technique for the time.

Sources and image credit

Wikimedia Commons: Portrait of Jan Six

Public-domain reproduction of Portrait of Jan Six (1654), via Wikimedia Commons. Detail images are crops of the same image; no reconstruction or upscaling.