In Europe, the art of the North and the art of the South are sometimes perceived to be in a vacuum with little contact with one another. The crisp lines and classical subject matter of Italian art in particular seem to have little in common with the dreamlike style and everyday topics of Dutch paintings. This seeming seal is completely befuddled by the Dutch artist Rembrandt's Aristotle with a Bust of Homer, a 56.5” x 53.75” oil-on-canvas paining, created in 1653. Its classical subject matter is unusual for a Dutch Golden Age work, depicting a figure usually interpreted to be the Greek philosopher Aristotle as he contemplates a bust of the poet Homer. Landscapes, portraits, still lives— these are what most would expect to see in this time and era, scenes depicting and cherishing the ordinary and everyday. Aristotle with a Bust of Homer draws from this tradition in style, but its subject matter departs from many other paintings from this area and era. This piece points to a greater dialogue between the Dutch artist Rembrandt and Italian classicism, blending the style and softness of the North with the history and tradition of the South. Though they are often discussed separately, the artistry of these areas was by no means isolated, and Rembrandt’s Aristotle is only one example among many of the interchange of cultures that took place.
Johannes Vermeer, Woman Holding a Balance, c. 1664, Oil on canvas, 16.7” x 15”, Widener Collection, National Gallery of Art
Donato Creti, Alexander the Great Threatened by his Father, c. 1700, Oil on canvas, 51.1” x 38.3”, Samuel H. Kress Collection, National Gallery of Art
Rembrandt van Rijn, Aristotle with a Bust of Homer, 1653, Oil on canvas, 56.5” x 53.75”, 61.198
The centerpiece of this exhibition, this pensive work is most distinctively Dutch in its expert use of light and shadow. No line is crisp or clear, allowing dreamy brushstrokes to prevail and produce an atmosphere to match the philosopher’s lofty pondering. It departs from this tradition in its subject matter- though the identity of the figure is somewhat debated, he is by any interpretation a Classical one. This is no scene of an ordinary person going about their business, but a portrait of one of the most influential philosophers in history. This particular painting was commissioned by the Sicilian nobleman Count Ruffo, who wished to add a work by a Dutch master to his collection. The contrast with Creti's painting is immediately apparent. All the drama and struggle is depicted within the philosopher rather than externally. His facial expression still remains neutral somehow, creating a sense of mystery and thoughtfulness. Rembrandt also depicts a very real Aristotle, an Aristotle inhabiting our world— not a distant legendary figure draped in a toga. This portrait declines to conform to either Dutch Golden Age or contemporary Italian traditions, drawing heavily from both and serving to bridge the gap between them.
Rembrandt van Rijn, Pallas Athena or Alexander the Great, c.1655, Oil on canvas, 118 cm x 91 cm, Calouste Gulbenkian Museum
Rembrandt van Rijn, Homer, 1663, Oil on canvas, 42.1” x 32.3”, The Maritshuis
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