Rembrandt portrayed himself often, in paintings, drawings and, as here, in his etchings. Dating from early in his career, when Rembrandt was 24 years old, this print was created just two years after his first known etched self portrait (made in 1628). He produced his final self portrait, age 63, in the year of his death, 1669. Self portrait in Cap: Laughing is one of a number of etched self-portraits from 1630-31 in which Rembrandt used his own features to create ‘tronies’ (Dutch for faces); small studies made to capture an expression or costume feature (frequently a hat). This is one a group of such studies in the National Gallery of Scotland’s Print collection.