Self-Portrait, Aged 23, Rembrandt

Rembrandt has shown a very strong expressive use of value in this self-portrait. This principle has totally caught my eye. The mysterious look of the painting shows a very soft and subtlety effect. Even with the extreme difference between the bright yellow tinted complexion and the dark, smudged hair under his hat. Also I noticed the wonderful touch of using the same color of his skin in the background surrounding his body in a glow. The blending with a light touch of yellow, burnt umber, and ultramarine blue gives a well-built contrast against his jacket.
This piece shows a feeling of a mysterious purpose. With Rembrandt’s supple burnt umber eyes stare at you but not in an intimidating way but in a feeling of emptiness has come upon him. He appears mysterious for the reason of the dark, cool colors but the bright, warm temperature of his face and the gold decorations on his collar and the brim of the hat. The gold decorations give a sense of money that is being hidden. I feel like Rembrandt wants to tell us something but he is going to keep it to himself. That’s how I would describe this to a blind person.
The painting illustrates intensity; the colors are very strong against each other. The lights and darks POP! Even the smallest bit of gold on his clothing and the washed out gray in his feather stage sharpness of color. Also the aspect of this piece gives a well-built hue spectrum. You can notice the usage of yellow to blue, the blues consist of red and blue, and in the face you see yellow, red, and blue.
Rembrandt has a sense of emotion and obscurity in the color choices he has used. By giving strong tints and shades this piece tells a story. There’s a feeling of purpose going on with him, like there’s a reason for choosing the style and vagueness in this piece.