Rembrandt House

Visiting the smaller, more targeted museums allows you an up-close view of the subject, in this case, Rembrandt Van Rijn, the most famous Dutch artist. The Rembrandthuis is the house and studio in Amsterdam where his most famous works were completed.

The typical narrow canal house was preserved, but modern transition spaces allow for interpretive displays.

Picture the master himself, sleeping after a long day of painting. At that time it was believed that lying completely horizontal was deadly, so beds were very short to accomodate the moderately reclining figure. The heavy drapes kept the cold out. He was already a successful painter and printmaker, and so kept a richly furnished home.

A facsinating lecture is given on the art of mixing paint as Rembrandts workshop would have, using all the same materials and techniques.

The pots hold chunck and powdered minerals, the raw materials for the artist. After grinding, the powder is mixed with linseed oil in preparation for painting. These materials were precious, and preparing paint was done daily to prepare for that day's painting.

The powdered minerals are combined with the linseed oil on a special stone table. One can imagine an "attachment" being formed to the actual paint after working it so long, even before it had been transformed into images on a canvas.

The time it takes to prepare the paint and canvas gives new meaning to the act of painting. People often forget the materials cost alone when they balk at the cost of a fine oil painting. I wanted to grab a brush and channel Rembrandt himself!

So here it is, ready to hold those famous brushstrokes. To a non-artist, is it fascinating to know how to translate a mental picture to dabs on a canvas? To other artists, how do we decide on which dab goes where?

Before his famous oils, Rembrandt was already known for his printmaking, which was an extension and expression of his innate talent as a draughtsman. The lessons in proportion taught by the knowledge of Da Vinci, transform an empty leaf of paper into lines, the collection of which communicate an image with personality.

Rembrandt's actual printing room. No different than my college printmaking lab. Same etching tools, same acid bath, same techniques, but decidedly different result!

The docent walks us through the process of carving lines into the copper plates; or using a wax mask & acids to etch the plate.

Many of you have seen this very same process at your local summer art fair. Ink up the plate and run it through the presses!

The smell of the printing ink is familiar to any art student....

Turning the press, just as Rembrandt (well, ok, his minions) would have done.

Et viola, its done.

Each time a print is drawn, the pressure works to close the finely carved lines. Only about 14 prints could be made from a plate before it lost viability.

Not all of the Rembrandt prints which exist were printed during his lifetime. Those printed after his death are worth less.

The final result.

Up close, those separate lines, creating something original!