Rembrandt Research Project
Encyclopedia
The Rembrandt Research Project is an initiative of the Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
(NWO), which is the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research. Its purpose is to organize and categorize research on Rembrandt, with the aim of discovering new facts about this Dutch Golden Age
painter and his studio. The project was started in 1968, but has since become the authority on Rembrandt and has final say in whether a painting is genuine.
The project specializes in documentation, techniques, and forensic research on Rembrandt paintings from his early years in Leiden until his death. The project's published A Corpus of Rembrandt Paintings is considered the definitive authority by all auction houses and dealers who work with works by Rembrandt and his studio. The research project has proved invaluable to art historians, and the lack of such a project for other prominent Dutch painters such as Frans Hals
is felt sorely by museums and collectors trying to acquire the same sort of stamp of approval on their paintings.
. This painting was first cataloged in 1917 by Abraham Bredius, who accepted it as a Rembrandt. Later art historians disputed this, without ever having seen the painting. It was attributed to Jan Lievens before being definitely attributed to Rousseaux by Sumowski.
The pAn 1998 catalog contains an article by Ernst van de Wetering with foto's of other depictions of the same man by Jan Lievens
, Gerard Dou
, and Jacques Rousseau (thus the mis-attribution). The man has clearly the same face in all four portraits. According to Van de Wetering, this is the man often referred to as Rembrandt's father.
Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
The Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek is a scientific research organization in the Netherlands....
(NWO), which is the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research. Its purpose is to organize and categorize research on Rembrandt, with the aim of discovering new facts about this Dutch Golden Age
Dutch Golden Age
The Golden Age was a period in Dutch history, roughly spanning the 17th century, in which Dutch trade, science, military and art were among the most acclaimed in the world. The first half is characterised by the Eighty Years' War till 1648...
painter and his studio. The project was started in 1968, but has since become the authority on Rembrandt and has final say in whether a painting is genuine.
Results
Since the start of the project, the number of signed Rembrandt self-portraits around the world has been reduced by half. Also, more paintings have been attributed to students working in the Rembrandt studio, and more has been discovered about the ways in which the students worked. Recently, period copies of Rembrandt paintings are being studied for clues as to whether certain copies were factory-style pieces for visiting functionaries. Rembrandt's work was in high demand for decades, and he managed to keep productivity up while also keeping his prices high by enforcing strict quality control on the work done in his studio.The project specializes in documentation, techniques, and forensic research on Rembrandt paintings from his early years in Leiden until his death. The project's published A Corpus of Rembrandt Paintings is considered the definitive authority by all auction houses and dealers who work with works by Rembrandt and his studio. The research project has proved invaluable to art historians, and the lack of such a project for other prominent Dutch painters such as Frans Hals
Frans Hals
Frans Hals was a Dutch Golden Age painter. He is notable for his loose painterly brushwork, and helped introduce this lively style of painting into Dutch art. Hals was also instrumental in the evolution of 17th century group portraiture.-Biography:Hals was born in 1580 or 1581, in Antwerp...
is felt sorely by museums and collectors trying to acquire the same sort of stamp of approval on their paintings.
Old man with turban
In 1998, the pAn Amsterdam art fair showed a Rembrandt for the first time that until then had been attributed to his pupil Jacques des RousseauxJacques des Rousseaux
Jacques des Rousseaux , was a French Baroque painter active in Leiden.-Biography:According to the RKD he was a pupil of Rembrandt in Leiden from 1630 onwards. He is known for genre works in the manner of Rembrandt....
. This painting was first cataloged in 1917 by Abraham Bredius, who accepted it as a Rembrandt. Later art historians disputed this, without ever having seen the painting. It was attributed to Jan Lievens before being definitely attributed to Rousseaux by Sumowski.
The pAn 1998 catalog contains an article by Ernst van de Wetering with foto's of other depictions of the same man by Jan Lievens
Jan Lievens
Jan Lievens was a Dutch painter, usually associated with Rembrandt, working in a similar style.-Biography:According to Arnold Houbraken, Jan was the son of Lieven Hendriksze, a tapestry worker , and was trained by Joris Verschoten. He was sent to Pieter Lastman in Amsterdam at about the age of 10...
, Gerard Dou
Gerard Dou
Gerrit Dou , also known as Gerard and Douw or Dow, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, whose small, highly-polished paintings are typical of the Leiden fijnschilders...
, and Jacques Rousseau (thus the mis-attribution). The man has clearly the same face in all four portraits. According to Van de Wetering, this is the man often referred to as Rembrandt's father.
External links
- RRP website with the latest additions to A Corpus of Rembrandt Paintings
- Ernst van de Wetering in Google books