Must See Exhibit: "Rembrandt: The Late Works" at The National Gallery, London

Self Portrait, 1659

National Gallery of Art, Washington

Oil on canvas, 84.5 x 66 cm

Photo: By Amanda Chain

The National Gallery of Art, London once again has put on a stunning exhibition that centers on Rembrandt as the artist falling out of favor, the cliché of "artists are never appreciated in their own time"resonates, but in a far more poignant manner than expected. This exhibition completely changed the way I viewed Rembrandt. It's quite easy to say in hindsight someone is a master, but what about how they lived in their own time?

This exhibition illuminates the struggles Rembrandt faced, from the death of his child and lover, to bankruptcy, to inner conflict, and death. The years cover more or less that last third of his life, and center on his setbacks. One of the showcase pieces "Town Hall" which he completed in 1662 was rejected.

For those of you who are not familiar with the artist, Rembrandt was a sort of everyman's man. He constantly reminded those around him of his humble beginnings as the son of a miller. It has been suggested by scholars that his association with ordinary people was detrimental to his career as an artist, he relied on the upper echelon for their patronage, but his crowd was somewhat distasteful.

Whatever his company, the man was an artistic genius. He utilized light in a way that makes him a man before and of his time. The exhibition takes you through the work of a man becoming all too aware of his own mortality, and at the same time a possessor of incredible talent, imagination, and emotion.

My favorite section of the exhibition was "Inner Conflict." One of the purposes of art is to make you feel as you see, to become involved emotionally with the work. The paintings in this section do just that. Here we see a second painting of Lucretia (1664 on loan from the National Gallery of Art, Washington)the moment before she resigns to kill herself.  and it is the tears in her eyes, the moment where you are almost compelled to stop her as if the viewer is in the scene; this is what makes Rembrandt's work so compelling. The first painting of Lucretia we see the moment after Lucretia stabbed herself (1666 on loan from Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis). Perhaps it was that Rembrandt was nearing the end of his own life and became preoccupied with death, but the two tell two very different emotions. One of resignation and the other of inner conflict; and it is Rembrandt's mastery that illuminates to the viewer two sides of the same coin.

The exhibition is really a testament to the collaboration of a number of museums and experts. It is this sort of cooperation that makes these institutions so valuable. The works come from all over the globe. In addition to the two I've already mentioned from the United States, there is also the major collaboration with the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, not to mention the various scholars and experts that collaborated in retrieving pertinent archival information. The exhibition has offered the ability to see a new dimension of Rembrandt, one of a man in turmoil. And in this new light he becomes all the more compelling.

For more information on the National Gallery's Exhibition Rembrandt: The Late Works Click Here