Self-portrait 1637

Curator: This is Rembrandt van Rijn's "Self-portrait," created in 1637, executed using ink and charcoal. It's a compelling, intimate piece. Editor: Intimate is the word. He's really giving us the eye, isn't he? A bit dishevelled, I’d say. Like he’s just been woken up from a nap, or pulled away from something intense. There is something magnetic about it. Curator: Yes, it's tempting to analyze through a biographical lens. 1637 would have been a relatively stable time for him, after the success of "The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp", yet before the personal tragedies that would mark his later life. Knowing this allows us to ask, what aspects of his self does he choose to present to the viewer here? Editor: Maybe just an honest one? I'm really struck by the line work, it is confident, but it also seems unfinished in parts, loose, a bit like life itself, all edges blurring. The texture in his hair and beard—just fantastic. You feel you could reach out and touch those curls. Curator: It is interesting you mention the unfinished quality. Consider Rembrandt’s use of light and shadow; he masterfully crafts a sense of depth and volume that really shows how attuned he was to portraying the multifaceted character of human emotion. Editor: Agreed! It is a fleeting feeling captured in a drawing. Like a candid polaroid, but of the 17th Century! So it begs the question of authenticity and representation. Was it really an off-the-cuff capture, or was he already aware and playing into his own iconic status, which even in his own lifetime had a grasp on society and the art market. Curator: A really interesting consideration. Perhaps his self-awareness became part of his authenticity. His later self portraits, in painting and drawing, have a kind of world-weary quality; almost resigned, compared to this earlier work. The lines around the mouth and eyes suggest experience etched in his very visage. There’s a quiet dignity. Editor: Exactly, there is the playfulness, too! Looking back at the scrawls on the background wall and knowing that it may be an incomplete sketch of other possible iterations… Well, let’s just say it makes you think: about art, life, and about staring back at a face through centuries. I love how accessible it feels, almost like a mirror. Curator: I concur! There's an enduring appeal to Rembrandt. His intense humanity connects with us even now. Editor: Indeed. Thanks Rembrandt! You gorgeous, grizzled genius!