Five Studies of Haman’s Head

Rembrandt van Rijn, c. 1655 - c. 1660

In five separate sketches, Rembrandt drew the head of a bearded man with long hair and a headband. These may have been studies for Haman, in Rembrandt’s painting Haman before Esther (now in Bucharest). There Haman kneels with bowed head, condemned to death by King Ahasuerus and his wife, Esther (a Jewess), for having ordered all Jews to be killed.

Artwork typedrawing
Object numberRP-T-1930-16
Dimensionsheight 134 mm x width 104 mm
Physical characteristicspen in bruine inkt

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"the story of Esther" by Rembrandt van Rijn

The Actor Willem Bartholsz Ruyter as King Ahasuerus on his Throne

Rembrandt van Rijn, c. 1635 - c. 1640

Haman before Ahasuerus

school of Rembrandt van Rijn, c. 1640 - c. 1650

Esther bezwijmt voor Ahasverus

follower of Rembrandt van Rijn, 1640

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Rembrandt van Rijn, 1661

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Portrait of a Woman, Probably Maria Trip (1619-1683)

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Identification

Title(s)
- Five Studies of Haman’s Head
- Vijf studies van het hoofd van een oude man (former title)
Object type
Object number
RP-T-1930-16
Part of catalogue
Catalogue reference
Schatborn 47

Creation

Creation
draughtsman: Rembrandt van Rijn, Amsterdam
Dating
c. 1655 - c. 1660
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Material and technique

Physical description
pen in bruine inkt
Material
Technique
Dimensions
height 134 mm x width 104 mm

This work is about

Subject

Exhibitions

Acquisition and rights

Credit line
Gift of C. Hofstede de Groot, The Hague
Copyright
Public domain
Provenance
...; collection Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769-1830), London (L. 2445); from whom, en bloc, £16,000, to the dealer Samuel Woodburn (1786-1853), London, 1835;{According to L. 2445; note RMA.} ? from whom, with 99 other drawings by Rembrandt, £1,500, to William Esdaile (1758-1837), London (L. 2617), 1835;{According to L. 2445; note RMA.} his sale, London (Christie´s), 17 June 1840, no. 5 (`Heads of the Saviour. Studies´), with one other drawing, £0.12.0, to the dealer Samuel Woodburn, London;{Copy RKD.} ...; collection Freiherr Max von Heyl zu Herrnsheim (1844-1925), Darmstadt (L. 2879); his sale, Stuttgart (H.G. Gutekunst), 25 May 1903 sqq., no. 242, 340 DM, to Dr Cornelis Hofstede de Groot (1863-1930), The Hague;{Hofstede de Groot notes, KB; copy RKD.} by whom donated to the museum, 1906, but kept in usufruct; transferred to the museum (L. 2228), 1930

Documentation

Schatborn 47

Persistent URL

To refer to this object, please use the following persistent URL:
https://id.rijksmuseum.nl/200117997