Seeing the light like Rembrandt did

In the 17 century, Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn created his masterpieces and spent a large part of his life in Amsterdam, capital city of the Netherlands. The house he lived and worked in between 1639 and 1658 is now open to visitors as the Rembrandt House Museum. The same year Rembrandt bought the house, he was awarded the prestigious commission to paint the Night Watch. This became one of his most famous works. The painting, displaying a captain and 17 members of his militia guards, is known for the effective use of light and shadow, creating a perception of motion. It can now be seen at the Rijksmuseum, also in Amsterdam. In 1906, the city of Amsterdam bought the then dilapidated Rembrandt House and turned it over to a foundation, which aimed to restore Rembrandt’s former home as accurately as possible to the state it was in around the middle of the 17th century. The museum gradually acquired a collection of etchings. It was felt these could hardly be better displayed than in the house where most of them were made. Now, the collection is almost complete and a changing selection is on display in the museum. In the 1990s, the museum was able to buy the adjacent buildings so the museum could be extended. The plan to reconstruct the house the way it had been when Rembrandt lived there could finally go ahead as planned. Many sources had been studied over the years to collect the necessary knowledge about the layout and contents of Rembrandt’s house. Among these were the inventories that had been made up before the painter moved in and when he went bankrupt in 1656. Some of Rembrandt’s drawings and etchings provided additional information. The interior of the house has been restored to its former 17th-century glory and the rooms have been refurnished with works of art, furniture and other objects from Rembrandt's time. Kids and grownups alike will enjoy exploring Rembrandt’s house and learn more about what life was like at the time. The adjacent building houses two exhibition centers. In May and June this year it will show a painting of Rembrandt that was only recently discovered. An expert was able to determine that the painting, portraying an old, bearded man, was indeed created by Rembrandt around 1630. Through the use of new technology, researchers were able to make old layers of paint visible. An unfinished self-portrait of Rembrandt came to light using this technique and it will be shown at the exhibition.