The Standard Bearer (Floris Soop, 1604–1657)

Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)

1654 · Oil on canvas · European Paintings

The flag, the plume in the hat, and the tooled leather baldric (sword belt) indicate that the sitter of this portrait is an ensign in one of Amsterdam’s civic guard companies. He is likely Floris Soop, a wealthy bachelor with a collection of 140 paintings, although this longstanding identification has recently been called into question. Rembrandt conveyed a strong sense of character and revealed extraordinary skill in the vigorously modeled face, the thick hair, and the costume’s details.

Artist

Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)

Date

1654

Medium

Oil on canvas

Department

European Paintings

Credit line

The Jules Bache Collection, 1949