[2] In composition it is different from his previous self-portraits, depicting the painter in a direct frontal pose, hands on his hips, and with an air of self-confidence.

It was painted the year that his financial difficulties began, and breaks with the sumptuous finery he had worn in previous self-portraits.

The freely painted clothing includes a brown robe that was most likely casual working attire, secured with a sash, over a black doublet with an upturned collar.

[5] As in other late portraits and self-portraits by Rembrandt, a painted underlayer shows through in areas of shadow, here particularly in the eye sockets and beneath the moustache.

[8] The later work shares the frontal angle, lighting, and informal attire of the larger painting, though the artist's face appears older.