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Drawings of Rembrandt; With a Selection of Drawings by His Pupils and Followers, Vol. 1
Volume 1 of 2-volume set. Updated Lippmann, Hofstede de Groot edition, with definitive scholarly apparatus. All portraits, biblical sketches, landscapes, nudes, Oriental figures, classical studies, together with selection of work by followers. Total in 550 illustrations. "The 550 reproductions are just plain magnificent." — The New Orleans Picayune .
- GenresArt
327 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1965
About the author
Rembrandt van Rijn
407 books20 followersRembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (July 15, 1606 - October 04, 1669) was a Dutch painter and etcher.
He is generally considered one of the greatest painters and printmakers in European art history and the most important in Dutch history. His contributions to art came in a period that historians call the Dutch Golden Age.
Having achieved youthful success as a portrait painter, his later years were marked by personal tragedy and financial hardship. Yet his drawings and paintings were popular throughout his lifetime, his reputation as an artist remained high and for twenty years he taught nearly every important Dutch painter. Rembrandt's greatest creative triumphs are exemplified especially in his portraits of his contemporaries, self-portraits and illustrations of scenes from the Bible. The self-portraits form a unique and intimate biography, in which the artist surveyed himself without vanity and with the utmost sincerity.
In both painting and printmaking he exhibited a complete knowledge of classical iconography, which he molded to fit the requirements of his own experience; thus, the depiction of a biblical scene was informed by Rembrandt's knowledge of the specific text, his assimilation of classical composition, and his observations of the Jewish population of Amsterdam. Because of his empathy for the human condition, he has been called "one of the great prophets of civilization."
He is generally considered one of the greatest painters and printmakers in European art history and the most important in Dutch history. His contributions to art came in a period that historians call the Dutch Golden Age.
Having achieved youthful success as a portrait painter, his later years were marked by personal tragedy and financial hardship. Yet his drawings and paintings were popular throughout his lifetime, his reputation as an artist remained high and for twenty years he taught nearly every important Dutch painter. Rembrandt's greatest creative triumphs are exemplified especially in his portraits of his contemporaries, self-portraits and illustrations of scenes from the Bible. The self-portraits form a unique and intimate biography, in which the artist surveyed himself without vanity and with the utmost sincerity.
In both painting and printmaking he exhibited a complete knowledge of classical iconography, which he molded to fit the requirements of his own experience; thus, the depiction of a biblical scene was informed by Rembrandt's knowledge of the specific text, his assimilation of classical composition, and his observations of the Jewish population of Amsterdam. Because of his empathy for the human condition, he has been called "one of the great prophets of civilization."
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
November 2, 2019
Probably really sharp in 1965, though not even the period appropriate print quality can blunt the force of the drawings, so that's a plus. The introduction by Seymour Slive, art historian and Rembrandt fanboy from Harvard, is short, fanboyish, and very much of its time.
Oh! And there's someone named Benesch who gets repeatedly dissed in the notes on the drawings (eg, he can't even tell a dog from a bear so he clearly cannot be counted upon to recognize The Master's work; the level of pettiness Slive employs here is pretty hilarious.)
There are definitely better alternatives to this book, including online ones, like the fully searchable British Museum Rembrandt drawing collection, and this somewhat broken site that attempted (is still attempting??) to index every piece of paper Rembrandt might have scribbled on ever.
Oh! And there's someone named Benesch who gets repeatedly dissed in the notes on the drawings (eg, he can't even tell a dog from a bear so he clearly cannot be counted upon to recognize The Master's work; the level of pettiness Slive employs here is pretty hilarious.)
There are definitely better alternatives to this book, including online ones, like the fully searchable British Museum Rembrandt drawing collection, and this somewhat broken site that attempted (is still attempting??) to index every piece of paper Rembrandt might have scribbled on ever.
Displaying 1 of 1 review