An innovative and prolific maestro​

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Rembrandt is widely recognized as the most prominent artist of the Dutch Golden Age. An extraordinary painter and engraver. His opus, sublime and at the same time wearing his tormented humanity on his sleeve, with him and followers like no other in his times and indelibly influenced Western art.

 

Rembrandt’s engravings played a crucial role in the so-called “golden century” of etching. The Dutch artist mastered this craft to an exceptional level and revolutionised its technique and style. 

 

He cut his slab by a complex multi-stage process. His style and his sensitivity emerge according to the work’s subject, whilst he moves from a bold, vigorous stroke way to a more delicate, almost pictorial.  Rembrandt is one of the greatest master of light. With his paintbrush, light inundates figures almost to the point of drowning them, revealing their essence.  Shadows are equally important. Like in the works of Caravaggio, subjects sink into them like in an ocean of inaccessibility. At the same time, as Gombrich noted, in a sort of miracle they increase the luminosity of the work.  

 

This exhibition includes almost 80 of Rembrandt’s engravings and is an exceptionally comprehensive survey of the entire opus of the artist.  His amazing chiaroscuros are already visible in the first works:  Old beggar woman with a gourd and Beggar with a crippled hand leaning on a stick, both dated 1630. Equally wonderful is The raising of Lazarus: The larger plate (1630), a large and much reworked etching. The Descent from the Cross (1633) is the only instance of a print based on a painting, whilst Joseph telling his dreams (1638) is one of those rare cases of an etching executed after preparatory studies.  Rembrandt is also a master of drypoint.

 

The Death of the Virgin is his masterpiece and it is included in the show. There are also examples of his skills in portraying nudes, such as The Negress lying down (1658) and The Nude man seated on the ground with one leg extended (1646), and marvellous illustrations of Rembrandt’s shadows: The flight into Egypt: Crossing a brook (1654), The Descent from the Cross by Torchlight (1654) and Christ driving the moneychangers from the temple (1635).  To complete an extraordinary show focusing on Rembrandt’s superior works, this exhibition presents the portraits of Jan Uytenbogaert preacher of the remonstrants (1635) and of The Goldweigher (1639),  as well as the extraordinary Self portrait with Saskia (1636).