Rembrandt and Amsterdam Portraiture, 1590-1670

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606-69), also known as Rembrandt, was a Dutch Golden Age painter who is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most-studied artists in the Western canon. This 2020 Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza exhibit features 20 painted portraits and 20 engravings by Rembrandt and 60 pieces by his contemporaries, showcasing the enduring quality of these works. The book accompanies the exhibit and includes color reproductions of key pieces and research into the stories behind the paintings' subjects.

Format: Hardback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 16 March 2020
Publisher: Fundacion Coleccion Thyssen-Bornemisza

A magnificent clothbound volume places Rembrandt among the most celebrated portraitists of the Dutch Golden Age. Having inspired intense scholarly exploration for centuries, Rembrandt and his Dutch Golden Age contemporaries are particularly esteemed for their portraiture, with Rembrandt in particular renowned for his ability to capture the vitality of his subjects. In the 17th century, a significant demand existed among the affluent classes of Amsterdam for portraits; artists like Rembrandt, along with Thomas de Keyser (c. 1596-1667), Frans Hals (c. 1582-1666), and later Bartholomeus van der Helst (1613-70), relied on these commissions to constitute a substantial portion of their income. Consequently, they produced a vast collection of paintings depicting diverse sitters. Curated by Amsterdam Museum curator Norbert Middelkoop, this 2020 Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza exhibit showcases 20 painted portraits and 20 engravings by Rembrandt, along with approximately 60 pieces by his contemporaries, in a comprehensive survey that highlights the enduring excellence of these works. This clothbound volume accompanies the exhibit and features color reproductions of key pieces, as well as in-depth research into the backgrounds and stories behind the subjects depicted in the paintings, including married couples, artisans at work, children, scholars, businessmen, the artists themselves, and important group portraits. Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, commonly known by his mononym Rembrandt, was a multifaceted artist who excelled as a draftsman, printmaker, art collector, and painter. His prodigious output of work played a pivotal role in defining the Dutch Golden Age. Despite his humble circumstances at the time of his death, Rembrandt is now widely recognized as one of the greatest and most extensively studied artists in the Western canon.

Weight: 1626g
Dimension: 282 x 253 x 35 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9788417173418