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REMBRANDT the Master

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REMBRANDT the Master INKQUBO-MBALISELO REMBRANDT The Master Compiled by JANINE DE VILLIERS prominent house in Sint-Anthonisbreestraat, Civilisation: a personal view by Publications and Promotions now The Rembrandt House Museum. Saskia Kenneth Clark. Part 8, The light of died in 1642, when Titus, the youngest of experience / producers, Michael Gill embrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, their four children and the only one to live and Peter Montagnon; director, Michael a name that evokes images of 17th past childhood, was only nine months old. Gill. Rcentury figures in minute detail Subsequently Rembrandt engaged in an The stunning canvasses of the 17th cen- portrayed dramatically in a play of light and extra-marital affair with Geertje Dircx, the tury Dutch painters dominate this film. The shadow. This year sees the 400th anniver- nanny of Titus. When their affair ended, Dutch were the first to grasp the revolution- sary of Van Rijn’s birth on 15 July 1606 and Van Rijn fell in love with his 22-year-younger ary change in thought that replaced divine as the magnificent artwork of this Dutch housekeeper Hendrickje Stoffels with whom authority with experience, experiment and Master has made an indelible impact on he had a daughter Cornelia in 1654. observation. Parallel with this fascination artists and lovers of art over centuries, this Rembrandt’s lifestyle lost him favour with with light and the careful observation of article affords an opportunity to reflect the middle classes and he had financial human nature - what Descartes calls the upon his life and art. difficulties, in spite of many commissions, a natural light of the mind - this period was Although Rembrandt was enrolled at steady income from his etchings and the also the great age of scientific instruments. Leiden University at the age of fourteen, fees his apprentices paid. He was declared Kenneth Clark travels from the Holland of he managed to convince his father, a bankrupt in 1656 and his house was put on Frans Hals, Rembrandt, Vermeer and Saen- miller belonging to the middle class, that auction, the proceeds of which did not cover redam to the London of Isaac Newton and he wanted to train as a painter, a history his debts. Christopher Wren, mathematician turned painter - the highest possible position that In 1660 Rembrandt and Hendrickje, Titus architect. The spirit of free enterprise - could be achieved in painting at the time. and Cornelia moved to a smaller house. modern capitalism - begins to make itself felt After a three-year apprenticeship at Leiden Hendrickje and Titus set up an art store and through these thoroughly modern men. master painter Jacob van Swaneburgh’s employed Rembrandt in an effort to ensure studio, Rembrandt continued his training in that Rembrandt stayed out of the hands of Honderd meesterwerke. Selfportrette. Amsterdam. Van Rijn returned to Leiden in his creditors. In 1663 Hendrickje died of ’n Program in ’n reeks van twintig, waarin 1625 and created his first history paintings the plague and was followed by Titus five verskillende kunskenners ’n honderd in a studio he shared with his good friend years later. Rembrandt van Rijn died on 4 bekende skilderwerke bespreek. Elke and painter Jan Lievens. His fame as painter October 1669 and was buried in an obscure grew and in 1631 he left Leiden to settle in rented grave of the Westerkerk Church. Amsterdam permanently. Fortunately the brilliant work of There he married Saskia Uylenburgh, Rembrandt van Rijn has survived and the the cousin of the Amsterdam art dealer Central Film and Video Collection of the Hendrick Uylenburgh in 1634. Rembrandt Library Service has several productions was well off financially and in 1639 bought a available highlighting his life and work. 400 Cape Libr., Jul/Aug 2006 42 INKQUBO-MBALISELO program bestaan uit vyf dele met ’n gemeen- paintings and spans a period of almost seven and etching techniques are appraised and skaplike tema en elke deel handel oor een hundred years, from the solemn religious analysed, using on-screen diagrammes and spesifieke kunswerk wat deur die betrokke works of the Middle Ages, to the 19th comparisons with the works of other artists kritikus ontleed en in konteks geplaas word. century experiments that were to lead to in order to highlight Rembrandt’s own meth- Die skilderye wat hier onder die soeklig kom the development of modern art. The first ods and determine the work of apprentices is Selfportret deur Albrecht Dürer (Alistair programme in this 12-part series provides or copyists. The skills of graphologists are Smith), Selfportret deur Rembrandt (David an introduction to the National Gallery and also employed to identify the supposed Piper), Selfportret met haar dogter deur its holdings, relating how its collection of hallmark of authenticity, the signature, Madame Vigee-Lebrun (Anita Brookner), over 2000 works of art was built up over sometimes with unexpected results. Percep- Selfportret deur Vincent van Gogh (David the years and discussing the acquisition of tions of Rembrandt have changed over the Piper) en Selfportret met maskers deur James a number of individual paintings. Thereaf- centuries, and alongside the more technical Ensor (Edwin Mullins). ter each programme focuses on a specific examination of his work, the various views period, highlighting key works and explaining of the artist himself throughout the years are Honderd meesterwerke. Aanraking. their significance. Programme 8 is entitled also appraised. As well as being a fascinating Nog ’n program in die Honderd meester- The age of Rembrandt. The commentary was study of modern scientific techniques, the werke-reeks van twintig, waarin verskillende written and is narrated by art critic/historian film presents a comprehensive art-historical kunskenners ’n honderd bekende skilderye Edward Mullins. view of Rembrandt’s work and a reaffirma- bespreek. Die skilderye wat hier onder die tion of his genius.’ soeklig kom is Die blinde man deur Duccio Past and present preserved. The Librarians can join the world-wide qua- (Alistair Smith), Ariadne, Bacchus en Venus Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam / producer tercentennial celebrations of the birth of deur Tintoretto (Alistair Smith), Josef se and director, Willy Lindwer. this Dutch painter by displaying books and droom deur Georges de La Tour (Edwin A programme in a thirteen-part series videos featuring his paintings and life. Bud- Mullins), Die Joodse bruid deur Rembrandt that provides an introduction to a variety ding artists and art lovers in your community (Edwin Mullins) en La vie deur Pablo Picasso of Dutch museums. Holland’s national will appreciate your efforts to enrich their (Milton Brown). museum, the Rijksmuseum, is a monumental lives by exposure to this kind of informa- building that opened its doors to the public tion. There might even be a member of the community who will be inspired to become Le Christ de Rembrandt / producer in 1885. It houses some of the country’s a modern-day Rembrandt! and director, Anthony M Roland. most celebrated paintings, as well as a large Though to the general public they are less selection of sculptures, graphic art, porcelain, Reference pottery, et cetera. well known than his paintings, Rembrandt’s www.holland.com/rembrandt400/consumer/gb/ The film offers a brief introduction to the drawings are amongst his most remarkable rembrandt/lifeof/remleiden.html accomplishments. For this film the director building and some of its exhibits, including its collection of l7th century Dutch paintings, has selected 160 out of some 1 400 draw- Note: Reviews by Freddy Ogterop, Film/Video/ amongst them works by Rembrandt and ings scattered around the world, concentrat- DVD Selector of the Western Cape Provincial Vermeer. ing on those depicting the life of Christ. Library Service. Through them, he covers the story from the Annunciation to the Crucifixion, The real Rembrandt: the search for 2 0 0 6 alternating close-ups of details with overall genius / producer, Jet Willers; director, views. Other drawings depicting the towns Kees van Langeraad. and landscapes of 17th century Holland ‘Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn (1606- are intercut to illustrate how Rembrandt’s 69) was one of the greatest painters of all interpretation of the Bible was based on his time. However, considerable controversy background in his own culture. There is no has grown up around the body of work narration. that can unequivocally be attributed to him. When Cornelis Hofstede de Groot pub- The National Gallery: a private view / lished his pioneering catalogue of 1913, he producer, Robert Angell; director, Henry numbered Rembrandt’s oeuvre at 988, but Lewes. the Rembrandt Research Project, founded The National Gallery in London was in 1968, has now whittled the tally down to founded in 1824 and relocated to its present less than 150. In this programme the latest site on Trafalgar Square in 1838. It houses techniques of authentication are applied to 400 Britain’s national collection of European works said to be by the master. His painting Kaapse Bibl., Jul/Aug 2006 43.
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