The person depicted is holding a spear with his right hand and a shield with the head of Medusa, a figure from Greek mythology, recognisable by the snakes on her head, with his left hand. This and the owl on his helmet point to the goddess Athena. There is disagreement in art-historical literature about the exact subject of the painting. In the 17th century, the figure of Athena was often confused with that of Alexander the Great. The person portrayed, with his androgynous appearance, may therefore have been intended as Alexander the Great.
Rembrandt possibly derived the figure from the parade held in Amsterdam in 1659 to mark the wedding of Henrietta Catherine of Orange and Johan George II of Anhalt-Dessau.
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (Leiden, 15 July 1606 - Amsterdam, 4 October 1669) was a Dutch painter, etcher and draughtsman. He is widely considered one of the greatest painters and etchers in European art, and the most important Dutch master of the 17th century. His work belongs to the Baroque period and is visibly influenced by Caravaggism. His remarkable mastery of the play of light and dark, often using sharp contrasts (chiaroscuro) to draw the viewer into the scene, led to vivid scenes full of drama.
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