- Rembrandt’s smallest portrait paintings, which appeared earlier this year and had been lost for some time, are now on display at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
- The Rijksmuseum identified references to the artist following X-radiography, infrared photography and reflectography, macro X-ray fluorescence, stereomicroscopy and paint sample analysis in the portraits.
- Jonathan Bikker, the museum’s curator of 17th-century Dutch painting, says that the style, paint and changes made in the works match Rembrandt’s style.
The smallest portrait paintings by Rembrandt, which appeared earlier this year, are on display at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Thanks to the “convincing evidence” obtained after X-radiography, infrared photography and reflectography, macro Christie’s It was put up for auction in London. “This is incomprehensible,” said Jonathan Bikker, the museum’s curator of 17th-century Dutch painting. Unknown works can almost never be revealed. “We really wanted to be able to show them to people.” says.
Bikker says that the style, paint and changes made in the works match Rembrandt’s style. “These paintings are very sketchy and spontaneous, given their style, something a copyist could not do.” “There are very small changes in the works, including pentimenti (traces of the previous painting); “When a copy is made, an attempt is made to be complete and precise, but Rembrandt characteristically makes changes during painting in his works.” he adds.
Small oval paintings belonging to Jan and Jaapgen, a wealthy plumber from Leiden, and his wife had been missing from a private family collection for almost two centuries. After extensive research, the paintings worth £11.2 million were accepted as part of the Dutch master’s works and began to be exhibited on long-term loan at the Rijksmuseum.
These works are actually smaller versions of two larger works not attributed to Rembrandt. However, the existence of the Dutch artist’s works was noticed for the first time after Amsterdam city archivist Isabel van Eeghen discovered all four pieces in an auction catalog dating back to 1760 in 1977. The 19.9 cm by 16.5 cm depictions of 69-year-old Jan Willemsz van der Pluym and 70-year-old Jaapgen Caerlsdr, family friends of the artist, were painted in 1635, probably by Rembrandt, at a time when he was Amsterdam’s most sought-after portrait artist. It may have been drawn as a gift to the couple. Bikker thinks that Jaapgen may have asked Rembrandt for the original portraits when he visited Amsterdam for a christening and later with the intention of commissioning larger copies of the work.
The Van der Pluym family established a close bond with Rembrandt’s family after marrying their son (Dominicus) to Rembrandt’s cousin Cornelia Cornelisdr van Suytbroek in 1624. His family lent the portraits on a long-term basis for the Rijksmuseum’s research to collector Henry Holterman, who purchased the portraits earlier this year. Taco Dibbits, director of the Rijksmuseum, said: “The Jan and Jaapgen portraits will bring visitors closer to Rembrandt’s family friends and circle. “It is wonderful that the paintings are entrusted to the Rijksmuseum so that they can be enjoyed by millions of people.”
Compiled by: Burçin Bağatur
