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vi HISTORICAL SKETCH OF ART
himself to the representation of ‘Regent? pieces, portrait groups (as
the ‘Jewish Bride’ in the Van der Hoop Collection in Amsterdam),
and single portraits (e.g. Jan Six and Anna Six, in the collection
of J. P. Six in Amsterdam). We po many scriptural pictures
by him, scenes from the } i E 4 the most
part ttered in other countries. e poss
xamples of this class of pictures in ‘Susanna at the bath’, and
Simeon in the Temple’ (bearing the date 1631). Here, too, Rem-
brandt preserves a mode of treatment peculiarly his own. In re-
presentations of our Sayviour’s passion the tragic event is pourtrayed
in a harsh matter-of-fact spirit, and might serve to illustrate the
well-known hymn, ‘O Head once full of bruises’. A serener, happier
expression of solemnity prevails in the Parables, which enables
us fully to realise their signif e, often sufficiently obscure.
Scenes from the youthful life of Christ have an idyllic charm of
their own, and in all Rembrandt’s religi compositions the en-
deayour is apparent to bring them within the range of human
apprehension — a fact important for a right understanding of the
Protestantism of the {7th century. Rembrandt touched also the re-
gions of Mythology (asis proved by the painting No. 1254 in the Ry
Museum, p. 327, the true meaning of which has been only lately
explained); but, as will be readily understood, with more doubt-
ful suecess. On the other hand his landscapes, devoid of incident
though they be, wide, unbroken, plain, exhibit the master’s feeling
for colour and poetical expression in the most favourable light.
It need hardly be mentioned that in order to become intimately,
and as it were personally acquainted with Rembrandt, the collection
chings, over 300 in number, must be carefully studied.
2 t-known, the rarest and most beautiful, are ‘Rem-
brandt’s portrait with the Sword’, ‘Lazarus Rising from the Dead’,
the ‘Hundred Florin Plate’ (‘Healing of the Sick’; the former name,
by which it was popularly known in the {8th century, now no longer
applies, inasmuch as in 1867 the sum of 1000/. was paid for a single
sses
impression), ‘Annunciation’, ‘Ecce Homo’, ‘Lhe good Samaritan’,
‘Lhe great Descent from the Cross’, the portraits of Tolling, Bonus,
Six, the landscape with the mill, and that with the three trees.
A goodly array of pupils and imitators are gathered around Rem-
brandt. His influence was not confined to Amsterdam alone, but ex-
tended to the neighbouring schools, that of Haarlem, for example.
Amongst his more immediate followers may be mentioned Ger-
brand van den Eeckhout (1621-74), whose works frequently bear
Rembrandt’s name (the Museum of Amsterdam possesses one of
the best of his pictures — The Adulteress), and Ferdinand Bol of
Dordrecht (1609-81), who deserted his native style after the
death of his master. The ‘Regent’ picture, formerly in the Lepers’
Hospital, and now in the new Ryks Museum, at Amsterdam, be-
longs to his best time. |