Aristotle with a Bust of Homer (Aristotle Contemplating a Bust of Homer)

Dutch artist Rembrandt painted this Aristotle with a Bust of Homer in 1653 for the Sicilian nobleman Antonio Ruffo. The commission didn't specify a subject, leading to centuries of debate about who the richly dressed figure represents. Julius Held argued convincingly in 1969 that it's Aristotle, based on the long hair, fancy clothing, and connection to Homer.

Aristotle rests one hand on a sculpted head of the blind poet Homer while wearing a gold chain bearing a medallion of Alexander the Great, whom Aristotle tutored. The composition suggests meditation on fame, wealth, and creative legacy. The philosopher seems to weigh material success against Homer's timeless artistic achievement.

The painting measures 143.5 by 136.5 centimeters and hangs at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. In 1961, the Met purchased it for $2.3 million, then the highest price ever paid for a painting at auction. Rembrandt later painted Homer and Alexander for the same patron.