Rembrandt’s Self-portrait with Gorget (c.1629)
Scholars have sometimes wondered why the young Rembrandt painted himself wearing a gorget, the metal collar worn by soldiers of the period, when he himself was never in the military. The answer, as always, lies in the metaphorical life of the artist’s mind. Once the viewer knows that all scenes of battles by poetic artists are really the creative battles taking place within themselves, then one can understand why Rembrandt, in recognizing this as a young artist, would paint himself in military gear. Like great masters before him, he was ready for battle.
An earlier example that Rembrandt would have known is Giorgione’s Self-portrait as David with the Head of Goliath.
Rembrandt, Self-portrait with Gorget (1629) Oil on panel. Mauritshuis, The Hague.
Click image to enlarge.
More Works by Rembrandt
See how Rembrandt turned an anatomy lesson into a scene in his studio (in his mind).
Rembrandt’s Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp (1632)
Notes:
Publication Date: 20 Apr 2010
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