Self Portrait Journal of Rembrandt - Research Paper Example

 Introduction After learning the art of painting and drawing at Laiden, it was time to advance skills; in 1624, the move to Amsterdam was the change aimed at doing that. After completing the training, it was time to shine as at Amsterdam, and soon enough, it was apparent that the art I created was among the best. In a short time, I was the best artist in the city, and the evidence of that were the many orders and commissions for portraits and the inflow of learners to study the art. During the years spent in art, I etched, painted and also drew so many portraits, and it became apparent that the changes in the appearances of the portraits can be used to evaluate the change of moods and expertise. In 1659, I painted my self-portrait, following the struggles of financial crisis, after years of success as an artist. The main reasons for the self-portrait and the choice of the art type had a lot to show about my experiences, and pointed to a change of subject, from those reflected in previous works (Van de Wetering, 2000). I. Primary reasons for painting the self-portrait In order to understand the reasons for painting the self-portrait, it is important to note the events of my life that had come before the painting of the work. After years of success as a writer, I suffered a financial crisis and failure, and the painting was the reassurance that I needed for myself, and also one that would keep the faith of my audiences high. After losing a house and other valuable properties through an auction, I painted a self-portrait looking into the eyes of the viewer, as an expression of dignity and strength, despite the loss. Further, as a person, I felt that I needed to reassure myself through the painting that I still had the strength and the dignity that I needed to remain relevant in the area of art. In the self-portrait, the illumination of the head and the shoulder was intentional. It was meant to show a posture of confidence and power, in the eyes of all viewers and among my peers in the field of art. The appearance of clasped hands was another indicator of the poise that I still commanded in the field of art and in other circles as well (Van de Wetering, 2000). Further, the self-portrait drew a lot from the inspiration of a portrait done earlier in Balthasar Castiglione, which was also an expression of a highly experienced painter. Through the quality and the poise of the figure in the painting, I wanted to project the aptitude of a highly experienced and learned painter. II. Description of the artistic compositional choice, cooler, space The lighting from the upper right side is used to purposefully illuminate Rembrandt’s face, hollowing the cheek, and also making the blemishes on the right earlobe and cheek to become evident (White et al., 1999, p. 200). The painting is done using various shades of gray and brown, and is enriched by a red figure that appears to be the back of his chair. The red shading at the lower-left portion of the painting appears to be the table cloth. The illumination of Rembrandt’s face is done intentionally, so as to direct attention to the face, as a way of directing attention to the expression on the face. The portrayal of the high color and also a beret, appear like they are used to add a touch of class and exclusiveness in flattering way. The facial skin is modeled using thick and perceptible pigmentation, applied to show a variety of rich colors, which could be the visual indication of age-related changes and the effects of emotional changes throughout life. III. What the portrait represents about me as an artist The portrait talks a lot about me as an artist, and the indications of that includes the rich and highly expressive work done with the painting brushes, especially around the face. The message that it communicates was that the expressiveness is intentional, as the work is less-finished than the previous portraits I did, as an indication of the imperfect experiences that I had suffered in the past, including the loss of properties (Ackley, 2003, p. 308). The evidence of textural vibrancy is an indication of the value that lies in the imperfections of a person, as evidenced by the fall from success to financial crisis for me. The indications of age-related changes on the face, especially those on the face, give the signal that I am an artist that has been groomed by education, age, and experience, to become an exceptional artist. For example, using different paintwork application for the face and the background, I wanted to direct all the attention to the face and the posture. By directing the attention to the important parts of the painting, I sought to portray the image of a highly cultured, experienced; full of dignity and also resolute artist (Ackley, 2003, p. 308). IV. The choice of the subjects with reference to three other paintings The choice of the subject depicted by the 1659 “self-portrait showing a Beret” was inspired by the loss of a home and many other valuables, even after many years of success. The theme of the painting was that of a man that was mature, experienced, learned and a dignified artist. In a similar way, the “self-portrait of Rembrandt leaning on a stone sill” (1639) shows him wearing renaissance wear, as he draws inspiration from 16th century artworks by Raphael and Titan. In the earlier portrait, the artist is drawing inspiration from the works of his role models, while in the 1659 portrait; he was projecting inspiration for his self and also his audiences. In a similar way, the Self-Portrait done in 1640, Rembrandt highlighted similar themes, including that of sourcing and drawing inspiration. At the time, he was enjoying the heights of his career, and his self-assured appearance and the elaborate nature of his outfit, he showed an established artist among the top artists of the past. Through “Self-Portrait as Zeuxis” (1662), Rembrandt portrayed his composure and sense of establishment, in a similar way as he did in the 1659 painting. In the 1662 artwork, he associates himself with the legendary Greek Painter Zeuxis, as a way of attracting praise (Hall, 2008, p. 157). Conclusion As an artist, my 1659 painting was a depiction of various themes about my life and experiences. As an established artist, the loss of property to auction opened the window for new motivation, which the artwork offered. The rationales for doing the artwork included showing my audiences about my dignity and established nature, despite difficulties. From the exploration of the artistic nature of the work, it was done to portray me as the center of attention. As a person, the portrait was a demonstration of the career of an established artist, and from the relation of the work with previous ones, the work highlighted the theme of inspiration. References Ackley, C. S. (2003). Rembrandt's Journey: Painter Draftsman Etcher. Boston: Museum of Fine Arts. Hall, J. (2008). The Sinister Side: How Left-right Symbolism Shaped Western Art. New York: Oxford University Press. Van de Wetering, E. (2000). Rembrandt: The Painter at Work. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. White, C., & Buvelot, Q. et al. (1999). Rembrandt by himself. New Haven: Yale University Press. Read More