In most portrait images of the 40s and 50s, Rembrandt emphasizes those aspects of a person’s inner world, his attitude to life, which to a large extent were characteristic of him. No wonder they often talk about the “self-portrait” of many of his images.
Famous exceptions are portraits of loved ones. While portraying his son Titus, his second wife Hendrickje Stoffels, Rembrandt especially values and does not want to sacrifice the peculiarity of the spiritual world of these people. He sees in them other aspects of human beauty than in others portrayed.
The charm of youth, joyful spirituality captivate in the portrait of Titus. Sitting in a chair and leaning back a bit, Titus reads a book. It is as if illuminated by an inner light; the thin eyebrows are raised, the mouth is half-open, the disobedient strand of hair has fallen on the forehead, large soft curls fall freely. In all affects the emotion, enthusiasm, youthful freshness of perception.