Acquired by the 4th Marquess of Hertford as a self-portrait by Rembrandt, this picture was until recently attributed to an unknown pupil of Rembrandt working in his studio. There now, however, seems to be general agreement that it is by Rembrandt himself, and of a piece with his practice in the second half of the 1630s when his style was more vigorous than it had been earlier in the decade. It was probably cut down to its unusual semi-circular shape at the top from a rectangular panel. This was done before 1837, the year of the earliest detailed description of the painting.