Self-portrait 1654

This self-portrait was painted by Rembrandt van Rijn using oil on canvas, with dimensions of 72 by 58 centimeters. Look closely, and you’ll see the way the oil paint is applied, thick and layered in some areas, creating texture and depth, and thin and transparent in others, allowing light to pass through. This technique, called impasto, was typical of Rembrandt's working method. It allowed him to build up the image slowly, manipulating the material to achieve the desired effect. But consider, too, the economics of paint at this time. The pigments would have been precious, painstakingly ground and mixed by apprentices. The canvas itself a valuable commodity. The skilled labor of preparing these materials, combined with Rembrandt's mastery, gives us a glimpse into the social context of artistic production in the Dutch Golden Age. Ultimately, understanding Rembrandt’s process helps us appreciate not only his artistic skill but also the value of material and labor embedded in his work. It challenges our assumptions about the divide between craft and fine art.