A Jew Rabbi or King Uzziah

An important mezzotint print by William Pether after a 1635 painting by Rembrandt. While some have identified the sitter simply as a Rabbi, others have linked him to King Uzziah. The subject is a half-length portrait, wearing a turban and thick cloak fastened with a large clasp, with a miniature and two pearl-drops, hands brought together in front of him.
In the background is a chair and table, with a book and religious emblems, including an altar and a column encircled by a gold serpent.

Pether's mezzotints, published by Boydell in 1764 and 1778, and were titled “A Jew Rabbi”. Scratched below the image is: "Rembrandt Pinxt. / J. Boydell Exct. / Wm. Pether Sculpsit 1778 / Published Feby. 2d 1778 by John Boydell, Engraver in Cheapside, London".
This is the second state of the print. A copy of this mezzotint print has been in the British Museum collection since 1838. It is considered one of the great mezzotints of the 18th century.

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606-1669) was a Dutch painter and etcher. He is generally considered one of the greatest painters and printmakers in European and the most important in Dutch history. His contributions to art came in a period of great wealth and cultural achievement that historians call the “Dutch Golden Age”.

William Pether (1738–1821) was an English mezzotint engraver. Pether was a fellow of the Incorporated Society of Artists, and contributed to its exhibitions paintings, miniatures, and engravings from 1764 to 1777.

Uzziah was a king of the ancient Kingdom of Judah, and one of Amaziah's sons. Uzziah was 16 when he became king of Judah, and reigned for 52 years.

Mezzotint is a printmaking process of the intaglio family, technically a drypoint method. It was the first tonal method to be used, enabling half-tones to be produced without using line-or dot-based techniques like hatching, cross-hatching or stipple.