Spotlight on Rembrandt
Dutch Baroque Master and His Biblical Paintings
From baroque to Baroque
Rembrandt van Rijn was a Dutch Baroque artist who lived from 1606 (or '07) to 1669.
He's one of the most famous and prolific Dutch Baroque artists.
Rembrandt is famous for his biblical paintings. Let's take a look at his artistic style and some of his famous biblical works.
Brief Rembrandt Bio
Rembrandt was born in 1606 or 1607 to a middle-class family. After apprenticing with one master, in 1624 Rembrandt began studying with Pieter Lastman, where he may have learned about Caravaggios's use of chiaroscuro. (Be sure to visit the links for works by Caravaggio and a definition of his famous technique.)
In 1631, Rembrandt moved to Amsterdam and began receiving portrait commissions, and in 1634, he married Saskia van Uylerburgh, whose father was an art dealer. (Nice going, Rembrandt!)
The Rembrandt House Museum (click on the link for more info about it)
and a famous self-portrait of the artist from 1630
Rembrandt: Painter, Draftsman, Etcher
Rembrandt quickly established himself as a master of the portrait and his depiction of his subjects' and figures' inner lives has earned him his reputation as a master painter.
Rembrandt is famous for his portraits, guild portraits, Biblical paintings, and self-portraits. Rembrandt created over 90 self-portraits, from the time he was a young man to the year he died. Click here to view Rembrandt's self-portraits.
Focus on Biblical works
In 1639, Rembrandt moved to Braestreet in Amsterdam, a main street bordering a Jewish neighborhood.
But even before he connected with the people of the Old Testament, he had painted works with Biblical themes.
He ended up with over 300 works -- paintings, etchings and drawings -- inspired by stories from the Bible.
Balaam and the Ass, 1626
Works from the 1620's and 1630's are baroque, tempestuous. Define baroque and explain how this painting is so.
Rembrandt in the 1640's:
In the 1640's, Rembrandt adopted smaller tableux, that is, smaller canvases with groupings of people arranged in costume in a particular scene.
David's Parting from Jonathan, an oil on canvas, from 1642,is a good example of such a work.
1650's and 1660's
In the 1650's, Rembrandt returned to larger-sized compositions. Bathsheba with David's Letter, an oil on canvas from 1654, is from this time period. (Click now to view the work and click again to make it disappear.)
In the 1660's, Rembrandt focused on characters only. Background and space are no longer of consequence. Haman Sets Forth to Honor Mordecai, an oil on canvas from 1665, represents this era.
Your turn:
Research a work by Rembrandt (see next slide). Identify the work, its size, its medium and where it can be found today. Explain in detail the subject matter of the work (that is, who the figures are in the work and what scene the work is depicting). Explain how the work fits into Rembrandt's larger body of work, how the work uses chiaroscuro, and why the work can be considered Baroque. Add your information to the slide show, using as many slides as you want.
Some Works by Rembrandt:
Joseph and Potiphar's Wife, 1634 (etching)
The Angel Prevents the Sacrifice of Isaac, 1635
The Blinding of Samson, 1636
Balshazzer's Feast, 1637
Samson's Feast, 1638
The Healing of Tobit, 1640 (drawing)
Esau Sells His Birthright to Jacob, 1648-50
Jacob Blessing the Children of Joseph, 1656
Jacob Wrestling with the Angel, 1659(60)
Haman and Ahasuerus Visit Esther, 1660
Ruthie.. Balshazzer's Feast, 1637
Balshazzer's Feast is a 7' x 5'5" oil on canvas painting.
It can be found in the National Gallery in London, England.
Balshazzer's Feast continued...
Rembrandt depicts the King of Babylon, Balshazzer, having a feast. He disgraced the vessels he stole from the Jerusalem Temple. He used them to sanctify the gods of gold, silver, brass, iron and wood. As he was entertaining his guessed a disembodied hand appeared and started to write on the wall "mene, mene, tekel u-pharsin." The interpretation of this phrase was interpreted by the prophet Daniel. The interpretation was that the kings days had been numbered, his actions weighed, and his kingdom was going to be divided. King Balshazzer was killed that night and Persia took over his empire.
Balshazzer's Feast continued...
Balshazzer's Feast establishes Rembrandt as a renowned baroque painter because he uses the technique chiaroscuro really well. He uses the writing on the wall to spotlight the characters. He placed the figures in all different angles, and no matter how they were twisted the light shining on them is a realistic depiction of what it would actually look like. The reflection painted on the characters gave a balance between the light and shadows. The characters aren't all ideal looking, in fact they aren't attractive but their composition was very realistic. Each of the characters look frightened and you can see the creases and wrinkles in their faces. The style of the painting was very dramatic, which fit the baroque period. The dark background gave an even more dramatic feeling to the scene.
Talia Haman and Ahasuerus Visit Esther, 1660
Haman and Ahasuerus Visit Esther is 73x93 cm. Its medium is oil on canvas. It can be found in the Pushkin museum, Moscow Russia.
Haman and Ahasuerus Visit Esther Continued
Subject Matter: Rembrandt Van Rijn depicts a story from chapters 5-7 of the Book of Esther of the Old Testament. Esther is seen telling her husband, King Ahasuerus (who historians believe is Artaxerxes), of Haman’s evil plan. Haman wanted to punish Mordechai for not paying him respect by killing him and the rest of the Jewish nation. Haman is sitting on the left, looking down at the table due to fear of how Ahasuerus will react. The king looks as if he finally realizes what has been going on. Esther looks embarrassed for causing problems for one of her guests.
Haman and Ahasuerus Visit Esther Continued
According to the Pushkin Museum this painting is one of the best creations of Rembrandt’s late period continuing in the baroque fashion. The dramatic conflict between the three characters is expressed through their restrained but eloquent gestures. The picture depicts an atmosphere clouded in suspense. Rembrandt uses chiaroscuro (use of strong contrast between light and dark) to highlight the pure Esther while leaving the evil Haman in the dark. Esther is radiant. Her robe gleams with its long train of precious stones. While Haman is immersed in shadows to highlight his dark desires. Rembrandt reaches great depth in rendering the spiritual energy the inner life of his characters to the surface of the painting.
Rembrandt was inspired when painting, Ahasuerus and Haman visits Esther, by the play Hester by Johannes Serwouters. Serwouters wrote his play as a reaction to the pogroms in Eastern Europe.
Zach: Samson Tells a Riddle at his Feast 1638
"And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments."
"Out of the eater, something to eat; out of the strong, something sweet."
(Judges 14:12,14)
Zach: Samson Tells a Riddle at his Feast 1638
Measuring 68.9 inches in width by 49.6 inches in length, and is currently housed in a private collection. Samson's Feast is one of Rembrandt's lesser known biblical paintings. In the medium oil on canvas, Samson's Feast depicts its namesake's wedding feast, with his bride in the center. Desperately wanting to marry a Philistine girl, Samson's parents originally decline, claiming that he shouldn't seek a wife from the "uncircumcised Philistines." But he remains persistent, and soon brings his parents to Timnah, a Philistine city. While entering the city, he miraculously rends a lion. Returning a couple days later, he sees the lion's carcass and a swarm of bees inside the lion with honey. He takes out the honey, eats some, and gives to his parents, but doesn't tell them where the honey came from. At a feast customary for newlyweds, he tells thirty Philistine groomsmen a riddle, and if answered correctly, he will give them thirty fine garments: "Out of the eater, something to eat; out of the strong, something sweet." To make a long story short, Samson ends up slaughtering many Philistines for killing his wife and father-in-law.
Samson Tells a Riddle at his Feast is an artistic parallel to the Bible's tale of Samson and his riddle at his wedding feast. Rembrandt was fascinated with depicting biblical scenes even before he moved to Amsterdam's Jewish quarter in 1639. There, the fascination only grew. Nonetheless, Samson Tells a Riddle at his Feast is emblematic of most of Rembrandt's artworks, biblical and non-biblical, for making use of the Baroque style and for perfecting the chiaroscuro technique. Crowded compositions, dramatic scenes, and exaggerated expressions dominated many of Rembrandt's paintings, and were a key characteristic of the Baroque style. Samson's Riddle is no exception as the wedding feast is undoubtedly crowded and as the artwork's namesake, Samson, is marked by his exaggerated expressions while telling over the fascinating riddle to his groomsmen. Chiaroscuro refers to the juxtaposition of light and shade, which results in a stunning visual effect in a work of art. From the moment Samson's Riddle is viewed, it's obvious that the stunning visual effect is meant to be placed on the bride and groom, luminescent in their white garb, in comparison to a background of darker tones. Rembrandt's true genius, among many other qualities, lies in his ability to transform scripture into magnificent works of art in such an accurate manner, and through it all, create a visual image that biblical verses can never possibly evoke.
Zach: Samson Tells a Riddle at his Feast 1638
Jackie: Jacob Blessing the Children of Joseph, 1656
Jacob Blessing the Children of Joseph is a 175x210 cm oil on canvas painting.
It can be found in the Museumlandschaft Hessen Kassel in Germany.
This painting is one of many works that depict a bible scene. This one in particular is from the book Genesis 48:14
Jacob Blessing the Children of Joseph Continued
Rembrandt depicts Jacob giving the blessings to Joseph's two sons. When Joseph heard that his father, Jacob, is dying, he takes his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, to him, so Jacob can bless them. Tradition had it that the eldest was to be blessed with the right hand, but much to Joseph's dismay, Jacob blesses Ephraim, who is younger, with his right hand, and Manasseh with his left. When Joseph tried to object, Jacob replied that Ephraim's "seed shall become a multitude of nations", implying that Ephraim would become a much larger nation then Manasseh. This whole story is depicted in Rembrandt's painting. Jacob is sitting in the bed, with his right hand over Ephraim, while Manasseh watches, waiting for his turn. Joseph is beside him about to object, and Asenath, the mother of the two boys, is also present, watching the blessings take place.
Jacob Blessing the Children of Joseph Continued
Rembrandt, a famous baroque artist, is known for his use of chiaroscuro, and his painting Jacob Blessing the Children of Joseph utilizes this technique. Through light and shadow, Rembrandt draws attention to the main characters of Jacob,Joseph, Ephraim, Manasseh, and Asenath, while obscuring the background. In particular, though, there seems to be an extra brightness around Ephraim, sort of like a halo, as he is the chosen one to get blessed with the right hand.
The Baroque time period was filled with art that used exaggerated motion and clear detail to depict any kind of emotion. This painting is clearly a baroque piece of art, for the uses of yellows, browns, and reds give the painting a mood that is intimate and sacred, yet also solemn and tender. There is clear emotions and details depicted on the characters' faces. Jacob looks ill and worn out, and there is an exaggeration in the way Ephraim leans in for his blessing. Manasseh looks on as if he is longing for the blessing that should be his, and the two parents look on at the scene before them. Each detail is depicted with perfect precision, and the painting successfully depicts a scene just as it would be viewed in real life.
Ben: An Angel Prevents the Sacrifice of Isaac, 1635
And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
(Genesis 22:10-12)
An Angel Prevents the Sacrifice of Isaac: The Painting and the Scene
Measuring 193.5 by 132.8 centimeters (76.2 by 52.3 inches), An Angel Prevents the Sacrifice of Isaac is one of Rembrandt’s notable religious pieces. In the medium of oil on canvas, the painting depicts the Biblical scene described in Genesis 22:10-12. In this scene, Abraham attempts to sacrifice his son Isaac to God as he was commanded to do by God Himself at the start of Genesis 22. With knife in hand, Abraham gets as far as stretching his hand over Isaac’s prostrate and bound body. Before Abraham can lay a hand on Isaac however, an angel of God calls to him and orders him to lay down his knife and not to touch Isaac. The extreme tension of the moment of the angel’s calling to Abraham is captured in An Angel Prevents the Sacrifice of Isaac. The painting is currently housed in the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Hermitage Museum Complex.
An Angel Prevents the Sacrifice of Isaac: The Time and Technique
An Angel Prevents the Sacrifice of Isaac is representative of the art Rembrandt produced during the period of his life he first spent in Amsterdam. This period spanned the early to mid-1630s. Rembrandt’s work during this period focused on Biblical themes and scenes, particularly those from Tanach.
Rembrandt’s stylistic practices during this era stemmed from the influence of the aging Baroque painter of the time Peter Paul Rubens. The exaggerated expressions and movements of the figures in the painting display Rembrandt’s work in the Baroque style, as does the high drama, emotion, and tension of the scene depicted in the painting. Aside from dabbling in Baroque stylistic norms, Rembrandt made heavy use of the chiaroscuro technique. Chiaroscuro is the use of contrast between light and dark within a piece of artwork. Typically, the central focus of the work is lit by some source either off the canvas or displayed on the canvas, while the background is painted in darker tones. The contrasting lighting heightens the drama and detail of the scene displayed. In An Angel Prevents the Sacrifice of Isaac, the background setting of the drama is painted in dark tones, and a light plays over Abraham, Isaac, and the angel emphasizing the drama of the scene. The light further exaggerates the details of the three figures’ contorted bodies and distressed expressions contributing to the high drama of the scene. Rembrandt’s An Angel Prevents the Sacrifice of Isaac cleverly makes use of Baroque stylistic norms and the technique of chiaroscuro in order to portray the boundless drama and tension of Abraham’s test in Genesis 22.
Yael: Jacob Wrestling with the Angel ca. 1659-1660
This is an oil on canvas
painting
It is 137 x 116 cm
Jacob Wrestling with the
Angel can be found in the
Gemaldegalerie Museum in
Berlin
Jacob Wrestling with the Angel
This painting is depicting the biblical fight that Jacob had with the Angel. This story commonly is depicted in art works. Jacob is getting ready to meet his brother, Esav, and on his way he comes across this Angel. He wrestled the Angel all night, even throughout the dislocation of his hip. The Angel saw that dawn was coming, and asked Jacob to let him go. Jacob replied by saying he would not stop, until the Angel blessed him. And so came the name Israel. The painting shows them fighting, and emphasizes the dislocation of the hip, for that is where the Angel's hand is on.
Jacob Wrestling with the Angel
During Rembrandt's time in Amsterdam, he focused his artwork on the Biblical times- those of the Tanach. Jacob Wrestling with the Angel is a perfect example of this. Typically, Rembrandt's works were those of oil on canvas, such as this one. In his paintings he exhibited iconography, taken from his knowledge, observations, and what he learnt from the Jewish community of Amsterdam. He uses the technique of chiaroscuro- the contrast between dark in light. The background of the painting is faded and bland, in contrast the main focus of the painting- the fighting Angel and Jacob- are accentuated and bright. There is a sense of drama in the painting, typical of the Baroque period but not in the common way- the faces of the Angel and Jacob seem almost peaceful, but they are focusing on the fight. We can tell that this is "intense" by the movement and positioning of the bodies.
Jesse: Rembrandt's
The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp
It's Size: (85.2 inches X 66.7 inches.)
It's Medium: Oil on Canvas.
Can be found: Mauritshuis museum in the Netherlands.
Rembrandt: The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp
The scene depicts Dr. Nicolaes Tulp, with fellow doctors, dissecting the body of a criminal. It doesn't fit in with his Biblical Pictures such as "Jacob Blesses the Sons of Joseph 1656" or "Jacob Wrestling the Angel 1659" because of the coloring of the pictures and the topics are different. It does fit in with the Syndics of the Drapers Guild Guild pictures like the "Syndics of the Drapers Guild" because it displays Men whom are part of a guild gathered together. Rem The work "The Anatomy Lesson" uses chiaroscuro (contrast of light and dark) very interestingly: the black coats of the guild-members contrast with the dead body that has some glaring light. The body doesn't seem very dead because it isn't rotting and light is glaring on it, although the contrast with the rosy faces of the anatomists, indicate death. This work can be considered baroque because of the fact that it makes strong use of the chicasuro, which is strong emphasis on light and dark. It also tells a detailed story and has a lot of emphasis.
Jesse B