Friday, April 25, 2008

Fine Art Friday - Rembrandt

"Art as well as science has been God's greatest gifts to mankind"...Pope Benedict XVI

The artist we are spotlighting this week is one of the most famous in the world...Rembrandt van Rijn.
...(July 15, 1606 – October 4, 1669) was a Dutch painter and etcher. He is generally considered one of the greatest painters and printmakers in European art history and the most important in Dutch history.[1] His contributions to art came in a period that historians call the Dutch Golden Age.
Source: Wikipedia
Self-Portrait
Self-Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

Supper at Emmaus
Supper at Emmaus

the jewish bride
The Jewish Bride

St. James
St. James the Greater

Prodigal Son
The Return of the Prodigal Son

Artistotle
Aristotle Contemplating the Bust of Homer

Christ Crucified between two thieves
Christ Crucified Between Two Thieves
Posted

7 comments:

  1. teresa_anawim23:03 AM

    Here we are ...Friday once again. Time for my education in the Visual Arts.(If I try to draw a circle, it comes out an oval)
    Today in looking at these all lined up together, I am struck by the way the artist used light in his paintings to highlight or 'spotlight' .
    I once read somewhere that if one looks very carefully at his paintings one can see contrasting characters and opposites emerging from the shadows in the background.
    Anyone know if this is true?
    I am particularly familiar with the Prodigal Son which Fr Henri Nouwen(spelling?) used as the theme of his well known inspirational book.
    Thanks Es.
    ps...re: the jewish bride...those hips gotta GO!

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  2. Kathleen Miller10:01 AM

    Esther,

    These are awesome paintings by Rembrandt.

    I saw some of his originals in a Munich gallery many years ago.

    I am afraid I haven't been very good at my weekly Fine Art Friday. Maybe I will just post once a month. You are so organized!

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  3. EC Gefroh10:14 AM

    Teresa, I don't know if that is true or not. I do remember my art history prof telling us that the famous painting the Night Watch was a misnomer as when the painting was cleaned, it was actually daylight.

    ha ha about the hips. It may have been a bustle that caused her to look hippy :-)

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  4. Tracy10:15 AM

    Awesome Esther!!

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  5. A Bit of the Blarney1:49 PM

    I really love Fine Art Friday!!! This week's is especially Grand!! When we lived in San Francisco we were privileged to see an exhibition of Rembrandt art at the de Young Museum. It was wonderful!! Thanks again!! Cathy

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  6. Sheep 19:50 PM

    Very nice Esther. I think my college had an original of his in one of their sitting rooms, one of those treasures one doesn't adequately appreciate till later.

    Thanks for finding these nice images and sharing them. God bless.
    Kay
    He Gently Calls Us

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  7. EC Gefroh2:15 PM

    Glad you enjoyed it Tracy.

    Lucky you Cathy. I don't believe I've ever seen an original Rembrandt.

    Wow Kay!!

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