Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum has a new Rembrandt

Even the year 1633 is now secured

After the painting was offered as a permanent loan to the Rijksmuseum by a private collector, the house’s researchers examined it using the latest methods that were most recently used for Rembrandt’s “Night Watch”. And lo and behold, a comparison with other pictures from the early phase of the then 27-year-old Rembrandt revealed that, unlike over half a century before, it should be considered authentic and not a workshop work. Even the stated year 1633 was proven to be correct with the help of dendrochronological studies.

Material analyses, stylistic and thematic similarities, the overall quality of the work and finally the artist’s original signature make it seem certain that after the Rembrandt Research Project reduced the oeuvre to just 350 pictures, there will be an increase again. One of the most prominent revocations at the time was the Berlin “Man with the Gold Helmet”.

The Research Project made strict judgments in many cases and thus attracted criticism. Willem van de Wetering, who belonged to the closest circle of researchers, subsequently revised some of his assessments. However, cleaning up the work was an important step because until the beginning of the 20th century there had been an overly optimistic attribution practice.

The withdrawal of authorship for the work, which has now returned to the public, may also have been the reason why it fell out of sight. Only the current owner, who contacted the Rijksmuseum on his own initiative, allowed experts to look over the painting again.

It shows a biblical scene in the temple: the moment in which the high priest Zacharias is visited by the archangel Gabriel. The divine messenger informs him that, despite their old age, he and his wife will have a son: John the Baptist. The angel himself cannot be seen in the picture, only a shining light in the upper right corner indicates his arrival. Zechariah’s face shows disbelief at his appearance.

The new attribution must now be believed. Taco Dibbets, director of the Rijksmuseum, said: “It’s wonderful that people can now learn more about the young Rembrandt – he created this very moving work shortly after moving from Leiden to Amsterdam. It is a beautiful example of the unique way in which Rembrandt presents stories.”