Portrait of a Young Man in a Fur Hat

Paudiss was a talented artist, as we can see in this freely and broadly painted portrait. He was able to catch not only the pale face but also the light, transparent eyes, which gaze calmly and seriously at the viewer. Yet, in the contrast between the softly lit face and the brown tones of the clothing and background, in the generalized treatment of the clothes, we can perhaps see too much of the influence of Rembrandt, under whom Paudiss studied. Even such details as the Hungarian fur hat is perceived as one of those whimsical headgears which were often to be found in Rembrandt's portraits. Paudiss was much more independent in his genre scenes and still lifes. The portrait was probably created in Hungary or immediately after the artist's move to Dresden in 1659.