Nivaagaards Malerisamling has received Study of an Elderly Man (ca. 1645–1649) on long-term loan. The painting, which has had a turbulent history, was previously sold as an authentic Rembrandt and later dismissed as a copy—an international “dark horse.” However, ongoing research by Professor Emeritus Jørgen Wadum suggests the work likely originated in Rembrandt’s workshop.
workshop of Rembrandt, Tronie of an Elderly Man, ca. 1645-49
Private Collection
The painting is a tronie, a Dutch Baroque genre focused on character and expression rather than a specific likeness. This “Danish version” is one of eight known iterations of the motif; current scholarship indicates it and a version in the State Hermitage Museum are the finest surviving examples, likely produced in the workshop after a lost Rembrandt original.
From “Dark Horse” to Workshop Study
The provenance of the work reflects the evolving standards of art-historical attribution. In the 1920s, it was attributed to Salomon Koninck before being sold at Christie’s as a Rembrandt in 1935. After arriving in Denmark, it was authenticated by scholar Karl Madsen, only to be downgraded decades later by a curator from the National Gallery of Denmark (SMK). Today, the painting is recognized as a significant workshop piece, and it will be displayed alongside the museum’s authentic Rembrandt, Portrait of a 39-year-old Woman (1632), starting 13 January 2026.
Lecture: The Unlikely Fate of a Rembrandt Work
On 3 February 2026, from 17:00 to 18:00 PM, Jørgen Wadum will present a lecture on the painting’s journey through the hands of speculators, forgers, and scholars. The talk will cover the work’s history from its first possible mention in 1819 to modern technical investigations.
- Admission: 150 DKK (90 DKK for members/student
- Booking: Available via nivaagaard.dk.