Rembrandt. And a 350 year old riddle

Old acquaintances

Always, without exception always, when I am in the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum in Cologne, I visit him. Even as a child, when I was on a museum tour with my grandmother. A traditional appointment, once a month, followed by a cup of cocoa at Café Wahlen on Hohenstaufen Ring.

Meanwhile we are old acquaintances and quite good friends, even if I still haven’t solved his secret. But perhaps that is part of this special friendship. Who is it about? Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (*1606 in Leiden; †1669 in Amsterdam), much better known by his first name Rembrandt. This year marks the 350th anniversary of the death of the great artist, reason enough for many museums all over the world to call it the “Rembrandt Year” and celebrate it with numerous exhibitions and events. Rembrandt was already a celebrated star during his lifetime. Famous as a painter, draughtsman and etcher. With a large workshop and a great talent, and a highly changeable economic situation. Between a lucrative art empire and complete overindebtedness everything was probably there in his life.

New Secrets

Strictly speaking, this little text is about one of his many self-portraits hanging in the baroque section of the Wallraf-Richartz Museum. Namely his “Self-Portrait with mahlstick” from 1663/64. This work is also called “Self-Portrait as Zeuxis”, and was actually for a long time regarded as a representation of Democritus.  And there, the still unsolved secret about this picture already suggests itself. Rembrandt painted himself a lot throughout his life, and so we have a good idea of how he changed with increasing age. He liked to portray himself in different roles, equipped with special clothes and objects to tell a story.

In this self-portrait he is already an old man. The picture is painted over several times in thick layers. In Rembrandt’s face, the many layers of paint, and thus, the changing image can still be guessed. Above the eyes, in the eyebrows, you might still guess the overpainted version. He holds his mahlstick, wears a cap and has put on a golden scarf. He wears a necklace with a pendant around his neck, a small earring seems to flash on his ear.

The Rembrandt smile riddle

Typically Rembrandt, the background of the picture is in the dark. Chiaro – Scuro. Rembrandt was a master of light-dark contrast. A vague figure can be seen at the left edge of the picture. Who is that? This question is still unanswered today. Many researchers have approached this question through Rembrandt’s facial expression. But how does he actually look? Is he enjoying himself? Is he smiling? What is so amusing?

X-ray examinations show that Rembrandt only smiled and did not laugh in an earlier, then painted version of the picture. And it is precisely his facial expression that is the “anchor” and starting point for the many interpretations between Democritus and Zeuxis.  In ancient times, Democritus was regarded as the laughing philosopher, because of his “doctrine of comfort” as the highest good. The interpretation as Democritus was also connected with the conclusion that Rembrandt regarded his aging positively. Other researchers come to the conclusion, however, that this picture represents Zeuxis of Herakleia, who was said to have died of a laughing fit while painting a portrait of an ugly woman.

Why am I telling this?

Rembrandt is quite obviously one of the artists whose work still raises many questions today. And he still has a strong effect today. It’s not for nothing that Rembrandt is still not only interested in art studies. For example, American researchers at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh recently allegedly reconstructed Rembrandt’s voice on the basis of the many self-portraits that also shed light on Rembrandt’s corporeality, his vocal body with head and lung volume, so to speak. In six “Rembrandt Tutorials” they have the master talk about his painting technique. And that in Dutch of the 17th century. What else?

“Souvenir” means “to remember”

For its part, the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum is currently collecting souvenirs and Rembrandt curiosities in preparation for a major Rembrandt show at the end of the year. From the beer mat to toothpaste, or the playing card, a decorative tie, or a Delft tile and an eraser gum. Or the Playmobil version of the “Nachtwache” (night watch / vigil). The curious collection gets bigger from day to day. It is displayed in a showcase, diagonally opposite Rembrandt’s self-portrait. The common framework for this collection and installation? The name “Rembrandt”.

Why am I telling all this?  Because I like that an old picture can still give up so many riddles today. And that sometimes you can’t really look “behind the scenes” with the knowledge of ancient myths and legends, with all your reference books and iconologies, with source studies and X-ray technology. That not every picture can be completely deciphered, at least not irrevocably and unambiguously, but rather that one always enjoys looking, puzzling and perhaps fathoming for oneself what a picture might mean. I’m actually one of the “museum regulars”, often only visiting a single painting, and discover something new for myself every now and then. I look forward to my next visit to Rembrandt. I am sure he will smile at me.

Rembrandt, Self-portrait with a mahlstick. In the Permanent Collection of the Wallraf-Richartz Museum, Cologne