Jan Six was an Amsterdam cloth merchant, poet, and patron who befriended Rembrandt. He later married the mayor's daughter and became mayor himself.

Where can I see Rembrandt's Portrait of Jan Six?

The painting remains in the private Six Collection in Amsterdam, owned by Jan Six's descendants. It's rarely loaned to museums.

What makes this portrait special?

Rembrandt painted Six in a moment of action, pulling on his glove. This informal pose gives the portrait unusual immediacy and psychological insight.

Where Is Jan Six? See It at Cleveland Museum of Art

Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn painted this portrait of his friend and patron Jan Six in 1654, capturing the Amsterdam merchant in a moment of casual action. Six pulls on a glove, preparing to go out, his red cloak thrown over one shoulder and his fair hair beneath a black hat. The informal pose gives the portrait unusual immediacy and life.

Six had lent Rembrandt 1,000 guilders the year before; this portrait may have served as partial repayment. The two men shared intellectual interests and genuine friendship. Some call it the most beautiful portrait ever painted. The work has remained with Six's descendants for nearly four centuries and hangs in the private Six Collection in Amsterdam, occasionally loaned for exhibitions.