Rembrandt van Rijn's interest in elderly subjects began to show itself early in his career as a painter, and his exploration of the wizened human form in light and shadow still fascinates us centuries later. It is natural for scholars to attempt to trace the course of development in such an artistic genius. But there are many perils in attempting to do so, something that would no doubt amuse Rembrandt himself--an individual with a keen appreciation of human imperfection.
Rembrandt's small panel Head of an Old Man in a Cap of around 1630, had languished under the status of rejection by the Rembrandt Research Project, a team of scholars devoted to identifying Rembrandt's authentic body of painted work. The process by which it returned to the fold of acknowledged work by the master involved intellectual bravery, persistence, and important technical innovations. It forced a rethinking of subjective judgement, and a challenge to an entrenched Modernist understanding of artistic genius.
The main concern of the Project's members was the rough manner in which the small panel was painted. Head of an Old Man in a Cap shows thick, direct strokes of paint in many areas, evoking a rich texture of the old man's flesh, especially in his wrinkled brow. It also endows the painting with a lively surface. Other accepted paintings by Rembrandt from the early period, such as his famous work of 1627 known as The Moneychanger, or The Parable of the Rich Man, show a smooth, finished style. Scholars had come to an agreement that only around 1650 did Rembrandt begin regularly to apply rougher brush work in his paintings.
This essay has the followings:
Total words: 993
Total reference: 0
Total price: £ 19.95
Click here to Order this essay!
Get Professionally written Essays that are:
• Written According to your Exact Requirements
• 100% Original and Non-Plagiarized
• Written by Expert
UK Writers
• Delivered to you before your deadline
Amazingly Low Prices - £9.95/page
