Rembrandt may have traced his own self-portraits

He is one of the greatest artists of all time, famed for his detailed portraits that helped cement his reputation as one of the Dutch Old Masters. But when it came to his self portraits, Rembrandt van Rijn appears to have needed a bit of technological help getting his depictions just right. The 17th century artist might have used a combination of mirrors and lenses to project his faceonto a surface, allowing him to trace the outline, according to new research. Rembrandt's self portraits are well-known for being highly detailed, and the Dutch painter often favoured himself as his subject (self portrait pictured). Known for his self-portraits and biblical scenes, his early work was small but rich in detail; religious and allegorical themes were prominent.