Self-portrait with a broad nose 1630

Editor: This is Rembrandt van Rijn’s "Self-portrait with a Broad Nose," an etching from 1630. It feels incredibly personal, almost like a quick sketch, capturing a very human moment. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It’s interesting you mention that immediacy. I see Rembrandt using the self-portrait, a common genre then, as a space for exploring identity. This isn't just about depicting likeness; it’s about asserting agency and challenging conventions. How does Rembrandt negotiate the intersectional narratives of his identity as a successful artist? Editor: Well, he doesn’t seem to idealize himself, and it is quite an unforgiving self-portrait! It also humanizes this artistic genius; this isn’t the typical formal portrait of the time. Curator: Exactly. Consider the Baroque era's emphasis on grandeur, on representing power. Rembrandt, through this relatively small, intimate etching, offers a counter-narrative. His characteristic use of chiaroscuro becomes a tool to analyze not only light and shadow, but perhaps also interiority and the complex shades of the self. The “broad nose,” isn't it interesting that he called out what would otherwise be regarded as an imperfection, as a signifier of character, making him the subject of art on his own terms? Editor: It makes you wonder what he's trying to communicate by focusing on that specific feature. It also makes you reflect on beauty standards as well. Curator: Precisely! And the act of creating this image – etching, with its graphic qualities and reproducibility, aligns perfectly with broader questions of accessibility and artistic ownership. It asks: who gets to create, who gets to be represented, and how? Editor: I didn't think about it in terms of access! So, it becomes almost a political statement just by existing? Curator: Absolutely. Art like this becomes a vital contribution to conversations around representation, self-expression, and social structures, prompting critical reflection. Editor: I’ll never look at Rembrandt the same way again! Thanks!