Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Rembrandt— Self - Portrait at the Age of 63 (1669)
Rembrandt throws the light of truth on...himself. He made this craggy self-portrait in the
year he would die, at age 63. Contrast it with one done three decades earlier (which we
just saw in the previous room). Rembrandt, the greatest Dutch painter, started out as the
successful, wealthy young genius of the art world. But he refused to crank out commercial
works. Rembrandt painted things that he believed in but no one would invest in—family
members, down-to-earth Bible scenes, and self-portraits like these.
Here, Rembrandt surveys the wreckage of his independent life. He was bankrupt, his
mistress had just died, and he had also buried several of his children. We see a disillu-
sioned, well-worn, but proud old genius.
• Backtrack to the long, forest-green Room 29.
BAROQUE (1600-1700)
(See “National Gallery” map, here .)
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