Conservators at The Mauritshuis gallery within the Hague, Netherlands, say that three work within the museum’s assortment initially attributed to Rembrandt van Rijn have been in all probability made or copied by the Seventeenth-century artist’s workers and college students.
The museum owns seven works by the Dutch Outdated Grasp, together with seven work that have been bought as Rembrandts, however which have now been “written off or are strongly known as into query”. Ultimate verdicts, nevertheless, have up to now solely been issued for 3 works.
The primary to be reassessed is the artist’s self-portrait, Portrait of Rembrandt with a Gorget (round 1629), which was acquired by William V, the Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, in 1768.
An underdrawing was found beneath Portrait of Rembrandt with a Gorget’s layers of paint
Courtesy of The Mauritshuis gallery
“It began with the invention of an underdrawing beneath the paint layers. Nothing like that had ever been seen earlier than in a piece by Rembrandt,” the museum explains in an announcement. “This prompted additional investigation, and it was ultimately discovered that our Rembrandt is the copy and the portray in Nuremberg [housed at the Germanisches Nationalmuseum] turned out to be the unique by Rembrandt himself.”
The second work analysed was Tronie of an Outdated Man (round 1630). Abraham Bredius, the previous director of the Mauritshuis, purchased the portray for his personal assortment in 1892 however loaned it to the museum. Bredius referred to his acquisition as “in all probability probably the most fascinating portray of Rembrandt’s father”, often known as Harmen Gerritsz van Rijn.
Tronie of an Outdated Man (round 1630), described as “in all probability probably the most fascinating portray of Rembrandt’s father”
Courtesy of The Mauritshuis gallery
Nevertheless, a drawing of Harmen Gerrits Van Rijn was unearthed exhibiting him with a large nostril and a full beard, trying totally different from the daddy determine depicted within the portray. Additional technical evaluation additionally reveals that the background was overpainted lengthy after it was completed. The museum subsequently says that this work might be “by a pupil or worker of Rembrandt’s, or by the grasp himself. The thriller stays unsolved.”
The ultimate piece, Research of an Outdated Man (round 1655), is probably the most intriguing work, as it’s signed by Rembrandt. Bredius was “delighted” when the Mauritshuis bought the portray, which depicts the artist’s brother Adriaen van Rijn, in 1891.
It was commonplace for a grasp to signal the work of a pupil, says the museum. “If it was painted at Rembrandt’s studio, it was his ‘product’. With Rembrandt’s signature, a portray by a pupil might be offered as if it have been a bit by the grasp.”
Research of an Outdated Man (round 1655) is signed by Rembrandt—though this does not rule out the work having been accomplished by his studio
Courtesy of The Mauritshuis gallery
The museum provides that in current conservation work, restorers discovered that the date was utilized later utilizing a unique paint, stressing that the yr is just not written in Rembrandt’s handwriting.
There are additionally technical points. “If you happen to have a look at Rembrandt’s Self-Portrait (1669) and Homer (1663) you will notice that each brushstroke is good. Research of an Outdated Man is much less completed. We imagine that it’s the work of a pupil trying to mimic the type of the grasp.”
All three work are on present within the exhibition Rembrandt? (17 April-13 July).
