Rembrandt with a Sabre c. 19th century

Curator: Immediately striking, isn't it? This is Henry Duff Linton's "Rembrandt with a Sabre", held here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: I’m drawn in by the hatching work, it really makes the portrait feel like it's emerging from a dark pool of ink. What do you make of it? Curator: Well, Linton’s clearly working from a Rembrandt self-portrait here—the clothing, the pose. There's a reverence that seems to breathe through the print. Editor: Reverence indeed! He captures Rembrandt’s gaze so well, that mix of intensity and melancholy. It's like Linton is attempting to channel the master's soul with those lines. Curator: Perhaps he is. There is an element of interpretation, and Linton almost positions Rembrandt as a heroic figure in a play, holding his sabre. Editor: I wonder if this piece says as much about Linton as it does about Rembrandt? Curator: Absolutely, it's filtered through Linton's own artistic lens. A fascinating dialogue between two artists across time. Editor: It does make you appreciate the layers of artistic interpretation and influence across history.