Christ in a Storm on the Sea of Galilee
The painting is still missing after the robbery from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in 1990. (http://www.gardnermuseum.org/resources/theft). In some of Rembrandt’s biblical scenes he painted himself in the crowd. Rembrandt, or Rembrant, was actually his first name.
The raising of the Cross. Rembrandt is the soldier
Overseeing the scene is a man wearing a turban who also resembles self-portraits by Rembrandt. His un-biblical turban is significant because artists often wore turbans in the studio to keep paint off their hair.
Lion Resting
We do not know where Rembrandt saw this lion, but its body is so lifelike that it seems that it must have been drawn from life. Sometimes rare creatures were shown at fairs and markets, brought over from distance places by sea. It shows off Rembrandt’s skill as a draughtsman. It has been calculated that Rembrandt produced over 300 paintings, nearly 400 etchings and 2,000 drawings
The Kitchen Maid
The Kitchen Maid is considered to be one of Rembrandt’s most representative works. The warm shades of red, brown and yellow, and the vivid depiction of the girl, make this one of his masterpieces. He painted other portraits of people seated in this position, leaning on their elbows
Elephant
This is one of several drawings by Rembrandt of female elephants in different poses. It is suggested that this is ‘Hansken’, a female elephant known to have been in Holland in 1641. Behind and to the right of the animal are the outlines of three figures, perhaps a family with a child.
The drawing is in black chalk and charcoal. Most of the animal is outlined with a long thin line. Rembrandt used black chalk in short broken strokes to convey the texture of the elephant’s rough wrinkled skin, the ragged ear and curling trunk. In the darkest shadows of the ear and neck he used charcoal to reinforce their depth. The elephant’s trunk and the family have a broader outline. It is now suggested that this elephant may have been a female elephas maximus, the first Asian elephant.
Rembrandt’s Mother reading the Bible
Rembrandt often painted his mother – as the Prophetess Anna and other biblical characters. Here she is shown as herself, reading the bible.
Prints from Rembrandt paintings: add colour and thought to your life – at work or at leisure
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