Portrait of a Man c. 1652

Editor: Here we have a drawing, titled "Portrait of a Man," by Rembrandt. It's ink on paper and can be found at the Harvard Art Museums. There's a real immediacy to it, almost like a fleeting thought. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: I love that "fleeting thought" idea! To me, it's Rembrandt wrestling with the essence of this man. The loose, almost frantic lines suggest he's trying to capture something beyond just a likeness. What do you think he's searching for? Editor: Maybe it's the sitter's character? His inner life? Curator: Precisely! It's as if he's trying to catch the soul in the net of his ink. It's less about perfection and more about the raw, unfiltered truth. I find it quite moving, don’t you? Editor: Definitely. It really makes you think about what a portrait can be. Curator: Exactly! It's the imperfection that makes it so perfect.