伦勃朗的油画一贯采用“光暗”处理手法，即采用黑褐色或浅橄榄棕色为背景，将光线概括为一束束电筒光似的集中线，着重在画的主要部分。这种视觉效果，就好像画中人物是站在黑色舞台上，一束强光打在他的脸上。法国19世纪画家兼批评家弗罗芒坦称伦勃朗为‘夜光虫’，还有人说他用黑暗绘就光明。

Rembrandt's oil paintings always use the "light and dark" method, that is, using black-brown or light olive-brown background, to summarize the light as a bunch of torch-like concentrating lines, focusing on the main part of the painting. This visual effect is like the figure standing on the black stage, a strong light hitting his face. French 19th century painter and critic Fromontein called Rembrandt a "night light bug", and others said that he painted light with darkness.