Head of an Old Man

In addition to the more usual portraits and history paintings, like Rembrandt, was very much engaged in painting tronies - head and shoulder studies of figures often in exotic dress. The subjects were often, as in the present work, bearded old men, sometimes generically referred to as prophets. However, these pictures should not be seen as portraits nor studies for figures in larger compositions, but independent works portraying character and temperament, in this case old age and the wisdom that comes with it.

The attribution to Lievens is not universally accepted. Several scholars believe it is by an unknown artist in his circle.