Rembrandt 2008

Alexander Roitburd titled this painting Rembrandt. The first thing I see is the impasto—the paint is built up thickly, especially around the face. Imagine Roitburd in the studio, laying down these meaty strokes, pushing the paint around with a palette knife. It’s a very physical process, that’s for sure. The face emerges out of the dark ground, a warm but somber palette, fleshy reds and browns. There’s something about the gaze that feels both intense and melancholic, like Roitburd is not just painting a portrait but also trying to capture a mood, a state of mind. It’s like he’s in conversation with Rembrandt, echoing the Old Master’s use of light and shadow, and the psychological depth in the portraits. Painting is a conversation across time, where artists engage with their predecessors, interpreting and reinventing their legacies. It’s about seeing and feeling, making marks, and trusting that something meaningful will emerge.