Unveiling the Netherlands' Exhibition of Rare Rembrandt Portraits
Rare and captivating, Rembrandt's tiniest formal portraits, absent for nearly two centuries, astoundingly resurface and grace Amsterdam's exhibition, enthralling art enthusiasts and critics alike
The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the Netherlands is now exhibiting the tiniest formal portraits created by Rembrandt, following their rediscovery earlier this year. The original article was published by The Art Newspaper, a CNN Style editorial partner.
The small, oval paintings of "Jan and Jaapgen," a wealthy slater and plumber from the Dutch city of Leiden and his wife, disappeared for nearly two centuries into a private family collection. After extensive research, the £11.2 million ($14.2 million) paintings have been recognized as part of the Dutch masters' work and have been unveiled on long-term loan at the Rijksmuseum.
"It is astonishing," commented Jonathan Bikker, the museum's curator of 17th-century Dutch painting. "Discovering completely unknown works is extremely rare. We are thrilled to be able to display them."
A Rembrandt painting, originally valued at $15,000, has been sold for almost $14 million. The 7.8-by-6.5-inch depictions of Jan Willemsz van der Pluym and Jaapgen Caerlsdr, family friends of the artist, were likely painted in 1635 as a favor to the couple. At the time, Rembrandt was the most sought-after portraitist in Amsterdam. Jaapgen, visiting Amsterdam for a baptism, may have requested the portraits with the intention of having larger copies made later, according to the museum.
The smaller versions are actually two reduced copies of larger works that were not originally credited to Rembrandt. However, after Amsterdam city archivist Isabella van Eeghen uncovered all four pieces in a 1760 auction catalogue in 1977, they were first suspected to be the work of the Dutch master.
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The Rijksmuseum officially confirmed the attribution of the portraits, supported by "compelling evidence" from X-radiography, infrared photography, reflectography, macro X-ray fluorescence, stereomicroscopy, and paint sample analysis. The portraits were then auctioned by Christies in London in July.
Bikker asserts that the style, paint, and alterations are consistent with the works being from Rembrandt's hand. He stated, "These paintings, in terms of their style, are very sketchy and spontaneous, which is not typical of a copyist." Bikker also noted, "There are pentimenti (traces of earlier painting) and other very small changes; when making a copy, one would strive for exactness and precision, but Rembrandt is known for making changes during the painting process."
An auction listing for an erotic Rembrandt etching comes with an explicit-content warning.
The bond between the Van der Pluym family and Rembrandt's family strengthened when their son Dominicus married Rembrandt's cousin Cornelia Cornelisdr van Suytbroek in 1624. Earlier this year, collector Henry Holterman, whose family acquired the portraits, has generously loaned the paintings to the Rijksmuseum for the long-term, in appreciation of the museum's research efforts.
In a statement, Rijksmuseum director Taco Dibbits expressed his excitement, stating, "Jan and Jaapgen will allow visitors to better understand Rembrandt's family connections. We are thrilled that the Rijksmuseum has been entrusted with these paintings, allowing millions of people to appreciate them."
Read more stories from The Art Newspaper here.
