Rembrandt & Life

Exhibition

Join Rembrandt on his journey through life in the exhibition Rembrandt & Life, featuring over 50 prints from the collection of the Rembrandt House Museum. At the end of the exhibition, something special awaits: Rembrandt’s treasure chamber, including his painting The Anatomy Lesson of Jan Deijman.

Cutest baby

The exhibition opens with a print showing a family begging at a front door. In this scene you may spot Rembrandt’s cutest baby. Carried on his mother’s back and wearing a small round bonnet, the baby resembles a koala bear.

Treasure chamber

The exhibition concludes in Rembrandt’s treasure chamber, a slow-watching space. Here you come face to face with 2 paintings and a print by Rembrandt.

Anatomy lesson

One of the masterpieces on view is The Anatomy Lesson of Jan Deijman (1656). The painting was partly destroyed by fire, leaving only the central section. Even so, this remaining part is powerful and compelling. Everything Rembrandt excelled at comes together here: observation, technique, emotion, experimentation and commercial appeal.

Joseph painting

In the treasure chamber you will also find Joseph Interpreting His Dreams (1633). This is a painting on paper in shades of brown and grey. It is unusual because it is an oil sketch. Occasionally, Rembrandt made a design before starting on an engraving, and this is one of those rare examples. He experimented with composition and light. The sketch is displayed next to a print on the same subject. Look closely and compare what Rembrandt did and did not carry over from his original design.