Rembrandt in Amsterdam: Creativity and Competition
Explore the rise of one of the great artists in the European tradition, Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–69).
Bringing his paintings, prints and drawings into dialogue with works by friends, followers and rivals, many shown in Canada for the first time, Rembrandt in Amsterdam reveals the synergy between a gifted artist and the stimulating environment that challenged and inspired him.
Curated by Stephanie Dickey, Rembrandt in Amsterdam is the first ever exhibition to chart the transformative central decades of the artist’s career within the context of the Amsterdam art market. It is also the first major Rembrandt exhibition in Canada since 1969, and the first ever to be presented at the National Gallery of Canada.
The Dutch Republic of Rembrandt’s time had a very clear connection with the history of Turtle Island via contact between Indigenous peoples and Dutch settlers and through the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade. A selection of works of contemporary and Indigenous art trace these connections and explore a wider perspective beyond a European focus, while contributions from Joana Joachim, Gerald McMaster and Rick Hill examine the impact of the Dutch colonial project on Black and Indigenous peoples.
Organized by the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, and the Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main
The exhibition is honoured by the co-patronage of His Majesty the King of the Netherlands and the Office of the Governor General of Canada. Proud partners include the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Canada and the Canadian Tulip Festival.
Date
Location
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Next Stop
Städel Museum, Frankfurt, Germany
October 6, 2021 to January 30, 2022
![Moridja Kitenge Banza, De 1848 à nos jours / coupe de bateau négrier [From 1848 to the Present / Cross‑section of a Slave Ship], 2006–18. Ink and graphite on mylar,](https://www.gallery.ca/sites/default/files/styles/ngc_scale_640/public/banzakite2006002.jpg?itok=NNShNkol)
Check out the Rembrandt in Amsterdam Digitorial ®
How did a miller’s son from the port city of Leiden go on to become a world-renowned painter, draughtsman and printmaker? Learn everything there is to know about the exhibition and Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn in this new Digitorial® – an informative online experience developed by the Städel Museum in collaboration with the National Gallery of Canada.
Featured
Video
Be amazed by the discoveries you can make when you look for longer at art. Look carefully together at the painting Heroine from the Old Testament by Rembrandt van Rijn with Educator Andrea Gumpert.
Download a colouring sheet of Rembrandt’s Heroine from the Old Testament.
Rembrandt
Lecture
Series
Amsterdam and Rembrandt: New Research
Join scholars Celeste Brusati, Jacquelyn N. Coutré, Weixuan Li, Suzanne van de Meerendonk and guest curator Stephanie Dickey as they share new research about Rembrandt and the lively milieu that pushed him to reach his full potential.
Wâpahtowin. An indigenous view of the other
Curator Greg Hill, Knowledge Keeper Rick Hill and scholar Gerald McMaster share Indigenous historical perspectives, the connections with contemporary art, shedding light on blind spots in the traditional art-historical narrative.
The Legacy of Slavery and Contemporary Museum Practice
In anticipation of the Gallery’s opening of the Rembrandt in Amsterdam exhibition, three scholars from the Netherlands delivered presentations on race, slavery, and inclusivity in museums.
Rembrandt: Art and Life
An introduction to Rembrandt van Rijn, his life, art, and context for the Rembrandt in Amsterdam exhibition with Stephanie Dickey, Professor and Bader Chair in Northern Baroque Art, Queens University.
Rembrandt in Ottawa: New Context and Perspectives
Rembrandt in Amsterdam is the first major exhibition to open at the Gallery since the pandemic began. The Gallery’s curatorial team discussed the exhibition and how it evolved to include diverse perspectives.
Why Rembrandt?
Jan Blanc penned the article “Why Rembrandt?” featured in the catalog of the Rembrandt in Amsterdam exhibition. Blanc’s article questions why Rembrandt became one of the most famous painters in art history after his death. Listen in as Jan Blanc and Itay Sapir discuss.
The Mystery of Rembrandt's Heroine
A young blonde woman often appears in Rembrandt’s works from the early 1630s. Here, she regards us thoughtfully while an elderly attendant combs her hair. Lavish costume and attributes cast her as a historical or mythic figure, but who is she? Scholars have proposed several answers, none conclusive so far.
What do you think?
CATALOGUE
Rembrandt in Amsterdam: Creativity and Competition
Rembrandt in Amsterdam is accompanied by a richly illustrated scholarly catalogue edited by Stephanie Dickey and published in separate English, French and German editions.
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By Stephanie S. Dickey and Jochen Sander with contributions by Jonathan Bikker, Jan Blanc, Sonia Del Re, Stephanie S. Dickey, Rudi Ekkart and Claire van den Donk, Robert Fucci, Jasper Hillegers, Maarten Prak, Jochen Sander, Friederike Schütt, Martin Sonnabend | Hardcover | 384 pages
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