This essay compares Rembrandt’s Self-Portrait with his portrait of Nicolaes Ruts.
IIntroduction
Rembrandt’s work is fascinating not only for its technical excellence and astonishing power, but for the way in which we can trace changes in the artist’s style over the years.
This paper considers two of his works, a self-portrait and a formal commissioned portrait, and compares them
IISelf-Portrait
The subject of the self-portrait is of course Rembrandt himself. He painted it when he was 52, but he seems older. His treatment of himself is unflattering, and he has chosen to accentuate deep creases in his skin, particularly above his cheekbone, on his cheek, and near his mouth. They almost look like scars rather than the natural wrinkling of aging skin, because they are in an odd location. In addition, the crease running from the corner of his nose to the corner of his mouth is deep and pronounced. It’s as if he’s painted himself as he sees himself in 10-15 years, not as he is at present. This is a very old 52.
His pose is natural: he is turned very slightly to the left, but faces the viewer straight on, gazing into our eyes. It’s impossible to tell whether he’s standing or seated; the position of his right arm seems to indicate that he’s resting it on the arm of a chair, but his legs are not bent. Perhaps he’s leaning against a support. At any rate, the fingers of his right hand are slightly flexed. He’s not holding anything, but neither is he completely relaxed. He holds some sort of thin rod or staff in his left hand, but the grip is casual; he’s not gripping it tightly. That is the only “prop” in the painting.
The Term Paper on Self Portraits Frida Kahlo
... for growth and discovery as an artist. Through his self-portraits, Rembrandt reflects a view of himself at every stage of his ... I found? Death painted I see... ." The study of Rembrandt self portrait painted in 1640. 102 x 80 cm, oil on canvas. ... old, wrinkled, and tired. Glancing in the mirror, Rembrandt said of these final portraits, .".. and I came, it may be, to look ...
Although Rembrandt was poor, he has depicted himself dressed in sumptuous fabrics. He has a dark cloak over his shoulders, and his gown or robe is a rich golden color, tied with deep scarlet bands. The rod in his right hand seems almost like a royal scepter, and his apparel suggests that he is a wealthy nobleman. Perhaps he was painting himself as he wished to appear, not as he was.
His facial expression is difficult to describe, but it projects an overwhelming feeling of world-weariness and cynicism. His mouth is compressed into a thin, straight line, but there is a wonderful uncertainty about his intentions: he could be biting back a rude comment; he could be getting ready to smile broadly; he could be about to drawn his lips back into a snarl; he might be about to draw down the corners of his mouth in disapproval. There is someone unpredictable and real in this painting, and the fact that we cannot decide what he might do next gives it a vitality and life-like feel that is extraordinary.
There are two things about Rembrandt that always strike me: first, he is a master of the use of light and shade; and he seems to enjoy the effects he can create by working with highlights on an essentially dark background. These qualities are apparent here. The figure seems to blend into the background, or rather, it’s as if the figure is extruded from the darkness but remains a part of it. The background of the painting is completely black; this shades into a slightly lighter tone (a very deep brown, perhaps) of the cloak. Rembrandt has placed his light source to his right and slightly above him, so that the right side of his face is the brightest spot in the painting. His gown is also brightly lit (“bright” is a relative term here; it’s actually a dim painting, but his face appears bright against the ebony background), and so is his right hand. His left side is almost completely invisible, with the stick, the hand holding it, and part of the left side of his face visible through the gloom. This technique focuses our attention on his right side, particularly his face, as we try to understand what he’s thinking. The picture is organized so that he fills it; we are drawn to a close study of his expression to the exclusion of almost everything else.
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IIINicolaes Ruts
Rembrandt’s portrait of Nicolaes Ruts is far different from his self-portrait. The color palette is much more varied; the picture is lighter; and the contrasts within it are far less striking.
In this picture, as in the self-portrait, Rembrandt is depicting a single figure. Although his body is turned a quarter-turn to the left, Ruts is facing us directly. His right hand is empty, but in his left he holds a piece of paper. Ruts is a merchant—a trader, and the paper suggests a bill of lading or something connected with his business.
Ruts is wearing beautiful furs in the portrait; they are obviously lush and soft. He has a ruff around his neck and a fur hat; Rembrandt has put subtle gleaming highlights in the fur to indicate its richness and good condition. This costume also shows us Ruts’ social position, and it’s obvious he’s well off.
Unlike Rembrandt, Ruts’ facial expression is neither ironic nor mysterious, but matter of fact. He is frowning slightly, but the frown is one of concentration not displeasure. He seems conscious of the fact that he’s sitting for a portrait, and that is what he’s considering. That is, he seems to be aware of the process of painting itself, and that is what engages him at the moment.
The background of this painting is a dark grayish-purple, which shades to a medium grey over Ruts’ left shoulder. This lighter patch serves to make the figure stand out from the background, though we have no trouble in distinguishing Ruts from the backdrop: he is clearly silhouetted here because the colors are much lighter than in the self-portrait. It’s just that the contrast becomes even stronger in this area.
The light source here is above, and slightly to the right, but in this portrait it illuminates all of the subject’s face and both hands; there is none of the deep shadow of the other picture.
IVComparison
The greatest difference I can discern is that the earlier work (the Ruts portrait) is not as finely drawn as the self-portrait. By that I mean that Rembrandt’s technique in the earlier picture is somewhat less precise, leaving a very slightly “fuzzy” image. In the self-portrait, every line is as clear as if it were etched rather than drawn. I’m not sure I’m being precise enough here; it just seems to me that the self-portrait is sharp, while the Ruts is just slightly “out of focus.” This may reflect the growth in the painter’s abilities over the years, or the fact that he is subconsciously telling us that we know ourselves better than we can ever possibly know anyone else.
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Oddly, it is the ironic and self-deprecating artist of the self-portrait who is more engaging than the more straightforward merchant in the commercial work.
VConclusion
These paintings are wonderful, and although they can be compared, they are also unique and special artworks, and should be taken on their own terms.
VIReferences
Rembrandt Harmensz, Van Rijn. “Nicolaes Ruts.” 1631; accession number 43.1.150. The Frick Collection [Web site]. Undated. Accessed: 13 Apr 2003. http://www.frick.org/html/pntg36f.htm
____________________________. “Self-Portrait.” 1658; accession number 06.1.97. The Frick Collection [Web site]. Undated. Accessed: 13 Apr 2003. http://www.frick.org/html/pntg38f.htm
