The Man with the Golden Helmet

One of the things I truly love about this hobby of mine is the 

opportunity to learn along the way.  

I came across this guy while out thrifting and something just drew me to him. 

There was some sort of faint memory of seeing him before.  Maybe it was another lifetime, 
I was a Queen... 
trapped in a castle...
and he was the Conquistador that came to save me? 

Rembrandt Self Portrait 1660

NOPE 
 it’s a mid-century mass reproduction of what was thought to be a Rembrandt painting that just about every den 
(a.k.a. man-cave) in America housed.  

My parents didn’t own one, 
but since I was a teenager during that time I’m sure some of my friends had one in their house, 
hence the memory of my champion.  
Oh well, a girl can dream.

It was originally thought that the painting was of Rembrandt’s older brother Adriaen, a poor shoemaker.

As I was researching I found out they discovered that The Man with the Golden Helmet isn't a Rembrandt.  

The solemn soldier's worth went from 

8 Million to 1.5 Million.  

Geez, talk about falling off  your pedestal.  

He went from “masterpiece” to “independent original”. 

{Booooo, Hissss}  

Of course Rembrandt was a master, 

but I find it sad someone else now went unrecognized.  

Obviously, someone was good enough to be mistaken for 

Rembrandt in the same 1600's time period,  

more than likely facing economic struggles, 

 trying to make his break (or fingers-crossed… HER break?)  

So the mystery remains, 

who painted this strong, sad man?  

p.s. guess how much I paid for my reproduction.... 

.15 cents