. Rembrandt : his life, his work, and his time. ne of thefew portraits painted byRembrandt on commis-sion at this period. Onno occasion, as far aswe know, did the masterrepresent himself thus,at full-length, in theconventional costume otthe day, renouncingall those problems ofchiaroscuro and effectsof costume which he delighted to introduce into his own ])Mrtraits. Nor was he at alllikely to have made such a departure at this point ot his career. Hewas rejoicing in his indei)c-nd(nce, and gladly throwing oft thoserestraints to which he had unwillingly submittt-d when, as a new comerin Amsterda
. Rembrandt : his life, his work, and his time. ne of thefew portraits painted byRembrandt on commis-sion at this period. Onno occasion, as far aswe know, did the masterrepresent himself thus,at full-length, in theconventional costume otthe day, renouncingall those problems ofchiaroscuro and effectsof costume which he delighted to introduce into his own ])Mrtraits. Nor was he at alllikely to have made such a departure at this point ot his career. Hewas rejoicing in his indei)c-nd(nce, and gladly throwing oft thoserestraints to which he had unwillingly submittt-d when, as a new comerin Amsterdam, he had his reputation to make anil his pockets to was now famous ; Saskias dowry and his own earnings had madehim independent. Jealous of his lil)erty, he was not often persuadedto meet the demands of the public. When he posed before hismirror he gave free rein to his fancy, and had no thought beyond hisown satisfaction or instruction. This is sufficiently proved by themany studies of himself painted at this period, which we must be. STUDY OK SASKIA, ANU tlfHEK HEADS 1636 (B. 365). i66 REMBRANDT content merely to enumerate. The first is a picture in the CasselMuseum (No. 215 in the Catalogue) signed and dated 1634. Hisshoulders are slightly drawn up towards his ears. He is wrapped in areddish mantle, and wears a curiously shaped plumed helmet ofpolished steel, which casts a transparent shadow over his ruddy bust portraits in the Wallace collection, signed, but not dated,must have been painted from about 1633 to 1635. The execution of thefirst is broad yet delicate ; the head is turned to the right; the costumeis a velvet cape with fur-trimmed collar. In the second, a hastier andmore sketchy study, the master faces the spectator ; on his head is abrown cap, and round his neck the familiar steel gorget and a goldchain, A charming portrait of 1634, one of Rembrandts most attractiverenderings of his own personality, is in the Berlin Museum. Another,of about the
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublishernewyo, bookyear1903
