Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn
“The Jewish Bride”, c.1667
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn
“Self Portrait at the Age of 63”, 1669
National Gallery, London
‘Rembrandt: The Late Works’ – National Gallery, London The National Gallery presents a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition, ‘Rembrandt: The Late Works’ – the first ever in-depth exploration of Rembrandt’s final years of painting. 15 October 2014 – 18 January 2015.]]>
Source: National Gallery London
Far from diminishing as he aged, Rembrandt’s creativity gathered new energy in the closing years of his life. It is the art of these late years – soulful, honest and deeply moving – that indelibly defines our image of Rembrandt the man and the artist. This landmark exhibition, featuring unprecedented loans from around the world, is a unique opportunity to experience the passion, emotion and innovation of Rembrandt, the greatest master of the Dutch Golden Age.
From the 1650s until his death, Rembrandt (1606-1669) consciously searched for a new style that was even more expressive and profound. He freely manipulated printing and painting techniques in order to give traditional subjects new and original interpretations. The exhibition illuminates his versatile mastery by dividing paintings, drawings and prints thematically in order to examine the ideas that preoccupied him during these final years: self-scrutiny, experimental technique, the use of light, the observation of everyday life, inspiration from other artists and responses to artistic convention, as well as expressions of intimacy, contemplation, conflict and reconciliation.
‘Rembrandt: The Late Works’ features approximately 40 paintings, 20 drawings and 30 prints – each undisputedly by the master himself. Private and institutional lenders have proved exceptionally generous with outstanding loans from collections across the world. Key works include: ‘The ‘Jewish Bride’’ (Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam), ‘An Old Woman Reading’ (The Buccleuch Collection, Scotland), ‘A Man in Armour’ (Glasgow Museums: Art Gallery, Kelvingrove), ‘A Young Woman Sleeping’ (British Museum, London), ‘Juno’ (Hammer Museum, Los Angeles), ‘Portrait of a Blond Man’ (National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne), ‘The Suicide of Lucretia’ (The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minnesota), ‘Bathsheba with King David’s Letter’ (Musée du Louvre, Paris), ‘Titus at his Desk’ (Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam), ‘A Portrait of a Lady with a Lap Dog’ (Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto), ‘Lucretia’ (National Gallery of Art, Washington DC) and the National Gallery’s own ‘A Woman Bathing in a Stream’ and ‘Portrait of Frederik Rihel on Horseback’.
A highlight of the exhibition is the juxtaposition of a number self portraits including ‘Self Portrait as the Apostle Paul’ (Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam), ‘Self Portrait with Two Circles’ (English Heritage, The Iveagh Bequest (Kenwood)), ‘Self Portrait Wearing a Turban’ (Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis, The Hague), and ‘Self Portrait at the Age of 63’ (National Gallery). The latter two, painted in the final years of his life, show Rembrandt’s exceptional honesty in recording his own features as he aged.
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Rembrandt’s Self-Portrait from Kenwood House in NY (exhibition, 2012)
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