Abstract
In Rembrandt’s early years in Amsterdam, the signed works become more numerous than in Leiden. Just as for the Leiden period, a critical assessment of the Rembrandt signatures of the Amsterdam period is in fact beyond our competence. In those cases where we voice our opinion that a signature is reliable, this is scarcely more than an impression — one that is moreover often influenced by our assessment of the painting. Naturally we do look at whether, physically and morphologically, the inscription matches others; but in most instances we lack precise evidence as to the physical properties — based on microscope examination, or on paint sample analysis — as well as the skills needed to judge the form of the inscription (for that, one would need to be something of a paleographer as well as a handwriting expert). Consequently, it is generally only the most blatantly spurious sig-natures that attract our suspicion - those placed on badly damaged or restored parts of the paint layer, and those differing obviously in form from specimens that can be regarded as normal.
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References
H. Gerson, Seven Letters by Rembrandt, The Hague 1961, p. 18; Straus Doc.
Rembrandt makes in Amsterdam, in the presence of the Leiden notary Jacob van Zwieten, a deposition that he is alive and in good health. The notary went with two witnesses to the house of Hendrick Uylenburgh, painter, in the Breestraat at the St. Anthoniesluis in Amsterdam. After he had asked a young girl who appeared ‘whether Master Rembrant Harmensz van Rijn, painter (who had taken lodgings at that house) was at home and at hand, the same young girl answered Yes and at my request called the afore-mentioned Master Rembrant Harmens van Rijn, painter, the same being in the entrance hall, I asked him whether he was Master Rembrant Harmens van Rijn, painter, and he having answered “Yes” I said to him that that was good and that it seemed to me that he was fit, sound and in good health, whereon he answered to me: “that is so, I am praise be to God of good disposition and in sound health.” […]’1. He is still lodging with Hendrick Uylenburgh at the beginning of 1635 when he is referred to as: ‘Rembrant van Rijn, at Hendrick Uylenburch’s’2. At the beginning of 1636 he appears however to have moved, to judge from the address in the first letter written to Constantijn Huygens in the February of that year:‘.. am living nextdoor to the city secretary Boereel in the Nieuwe Doelenstraat’3.
In an inventory of the collection of Prince Frederik Hendrik on the Noordeinde made on 16 August 1632 there is mention of a portrait in profile of Amalia of Solms from the hand of Rembrandt (see no. A 61)4. In the same year Rembrandt did portraits of at least four other persons living in The Hague — the captain of the civic guard Joris de Caullery and his son Johan (see no. A 53), the artist Jacques de Gheyn III (see no. A 56) and the secretary to the Council of State Maurits Huygens (see no. A 57 ).
Entry by Johannes Wtenbogaert in his diary: ‘April 13 Painted by Rembrandt, for Abr. An thonissen’. Johannes Wtenbogaert (Utrecht 1557–The Hague 1644) was a leading Remonstrant preacher in The Hague, where he had settled in 1626 after returning from exile. He visited Amsterdam from 2 to 21 April 1633 (see no. A 80). Abraham Anthonisz. Recht (1588–1664), who apparently commissioned the portrait, was a wealthy Amsterdam merchant and a supporter of the Remonstrant cause5.
Inscription to a silverpoint drawing of a young woman in Berlin (Ben. 427): ‘dit is naer mijn huysvrou geconterfeyt/ do sij 21 jaer oud was den derden/dach als wij getroudt waeren/den 8 Junijus/1633’ (this is a likeness of my wife/when she was 21 years old the third/day after we were wed/on 8 June/1633). It was thought at one time that Rembrandt appended the inscription only at a later date and was being forgetful, since the marriage between him and Saskia Uylenburgh (1612–1642) did not take place until 16346; but there is no solid evidence for this. The most common belief today is that the words ‘huysvrou’ and ‘getroudt’ may have had the meaning of’betrothed’ and ‘engaged’7. It is also possible that, in accordance with Friesian marriage law, the reference was to the ‘sponsalia de praesenti’, i. e. a formal declaration whereby two persons declare (without witnesses) that they take each other as man and wife; the marriage bond was then complete, but still needed confirmation before the church congregation or a judge to have full legal force8.
Privilege — the sole right of publication — is granted for the etching B. 81 (II), The descent from the Cross, as may be deduced from the inscription: Rembrandt, f. cum pryvl o.1633. In the third state, the publisher’s address added: Amstelodami HendrickusVlenburgensis Excudebat. In the Fourth state, publisher’s address altered to: fAmstelodami Justus Danckers Excudebat’9.
Banns of Rembrandt and Saskia published in Amsterdam10. The bridegroom’s address is given as the Breestraat, meaning no doubt the house of Hendrick Uylenburgh. Johannes Cornelisz. Sylvius appears as representative of the bride. Her address is given as: ‘[…] living in ‘t Bil (Het Bildt) at Sint Annenkerck (St Annaparochie in Friesland)’. Johannes Cornelisz. Sylvius (c. 1565–1638), who had settled in Amsterdam as a Reformed Church preacher from 1610, was married to Saskia’s elder cousin Aaltje Pietersdr. van Uylenburgh (c. 1572-Amsterdam 1644)11. Rembrandt etched his portrait in the same year (B. 266)12.
July (22 June Old Style) 1634 Marriage of Rembrandt and Saskia in St Annaparochie in Friesland13. 13 July
July Old Style) 1634 Rembrandt and Saskia still in Friesland. On that date Saskia £[…] accompanied by Rembrandt van Rhyn her husband’ was one of those applying for permission to sell her and her brother Idzard’s share in the ‘Ulenburchstate5 farm14.
July 1634 Rembrandt gives power of attorney to his brother-in-law Gerrit van Loo, town clerk of Het Bildt, Friesland, in a deed made in Rotterdam in which he is named as ‘[…] Sr. Rembrant van Rijn, merchant of Amsterdam’15. It is noteworthy that in this deed Rembrandt had himself described as a ‘coopman’ (merchant). Probably during the same stay in Rotterdam he painted the portraits of Dirck Jansz. Pesser and his wife (see nos. A 102 and A 103). Dirck Jansz. Pesser (1586/7–1651) was a brewer in Rotterdam and one of the leaders of the Remonstrants in that city.
Drawing of an old man in the album of Burchard Grossman of Weimar, who visited the Netherlands from May until halfway through July (The Hague, Koninklijke Bibliotheek, Ms 133 C 14, fol. 26) with the inscription ‘Een vroom gemoet/Acht eer voor goet/Rembrandt/Amsterdam. 1634’ (A pious spirit/sets honour before wealth/Rembrandt/Amsterdam. 1634). The Amsterdam entries are dated 17-21 June 1634, and that of Hendrick Uylenburgh on 18 June16.
Funeral token of the Guild of S. Luke, engraved recto: escutcheon with three blank shields — the usual arms of the S. Luke Guild — surmounted by the date 1634, and verso: Rembrant/ Hermans/S. This shows that in 1634 Rembrandt was a member of the Guild of S. Luke. Only those registered as citizens of Amsterdam were eligible for membership of this guild17.
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© 1986 Stichting Foundation Rembrandt Research Project
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Bruyn, J., Haak, B., Levie, S.H., van Thiel, P.J.J., van de Wetering, E. (1986). A selection of signatures, 1632–1634. In: A Corpus of Rembrandt Paintings. Stichting Foundation Rembrandt Research Project Foundation, vol 2. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4410-7_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4410-7_5
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