Happy Birthday to Rembrant Van Rejin! (1606-1669) He is 407 today!
Most folks that reviewed this self portrait before 1992 thought Rembrandt was in pain because he had just recently sold everything he had to pay off creditors. In 1992, an aged varnish was cleaned of of the canvas to reveal lots of pink flesh and a healthy appearance.
His eyes look right into the viewer and reveal his strength and dignity.
The “Rembrandt Room” – like I like to call it – at the National Gallery of Art holds some of his best pieces and in adjoining rooms there are works from his students labeled as workshop pieces. An excellent stop if you ever get there.