The Actor Willem Bartholsz Ruyter as King Ahasuerus on his Throne, Rembrandt van Rijn, c. 1635 - c. 1640
pen and brown ink, with brown wash and opaque white, on paper toned with a light brown wash; later additions in pen and black ink; framing line in brown ink, h 177mm × w 131mm Catalogue entry
Willem Bartholsz Ruyter (1587-1639) was a famous actor in Amsterdam. One drawing shows him as King Ahasuerus, who has just heard from his Jewish wife, Esther, that his confidant Haman had ordered the death of all Jews. In the second study, he wears the costume of a country yokel who was the central figure in popular farces called ‘boertigheden’.
