Self-Portrait with Two Circles

In the 1660s, Rembrandt went through a difficult period. He went bankrupt, lost his house and legal disputes are piling up. Eager to prove that his artistic mastery is intact, he paints himself, with his tools, in action, old but strong. The two enigmatic circles in the background testify to his ability to draw two perfect circles. He does not try to beautify his appearance, his wrinkles and his skin betray his age, but his posture and his attitude express an undeniable pride. “Self-Portrait with Two Circles,” now hanging at Kenwood House in London, is one of Rembrandt's most important artworks.