Ernst van de Wetering
Ernst van de Wetering (9 March 1938 – 11 August 2021[1])[2] was a Dutch art historian[3] and an expert on Rembrandt and his work.
Background
Ernst van de Wetering was born in Hengelo. He was first trained as an artist at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in The Hague. He received his doctorate in art history from the University of Amsterdam in 1986. Between 1964 and 1968, he worked as a scientific illustrator of microscopic preparations at the Zoological Museum in Amsterdam. From 1968, he was a member and later became chairman of the Rembrandt Research Project. He was art historian on the staff of Amsterdam's Central Research Laboratory for Restoration from 1969 to 1987 and, from 1987, was full professor of history of art at the University of Amsterdam. He published extensively on historic painting techniques, as well as in the field of theory and ethics of conservation and restoration.
In 1990, he succeeded Josua Bruyn as chair of the Rembrandt Research Project, the team of scholars that is charged with tracking down Rembrandt's works, authenticating them and, when needed, conserving the paintings. As of 2015, the project had published six volumes on Rembrandt's work, the known Rembrandts, and the techniques used by the painter.[4]
Van de Wetering was from his time at the Hague Academy active as a practicing artist. He made primarily portraits and landscape paintings.
Assessment of Rembrandt
In most of his writing and lectures, van de Wetering portrays Rembrandt as a painter who struggled to create as many marketable paintings as possible, and whose studio turned out a large number of paintings with varying amounts of work by Rembrandt and his apprentices. Van de Wetering was also able to discover a number of Rembrandt's works which had been repainted by the artist to make them more commercially acceptable.
In 2006, in celebration of Rembrandt's 400th birthday, van de Wetering was quoted by the Associated Press saying: "My hope for the Rembrandt year would be that somehow we would become free of images, that we look with fresh eyes. So much research has been done, and so little of this research has come to the knowledge of the general public."[5]
Studies of artists' use of light
Van de Wetering was the voice of dissent when it came to the significance of light in Dutch 17th-century painting. He doubted that it was a factor at all and said there were as many kinds of light as there were ways of painting. It was not a question of light, he added, but of a painter's methods and style. He also wrote several academic papers debunking the myth that Claude Monet painted only with natural light.[6]
Awards
In 2003, van de Wetering was presented with the College Art Association/American Institute for Conservation Joint Award for Distinction in Scholarship and Conservation at Oxford University, where he has been a frequent guest lecturer.[7] He was Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion, and recipient of the Silver Museum Medal of the City of Amsterdam.[8]
He was Slade Professor of Fine Art at Oxford for 2002–03.[9]
A Festschrift in his honor was published in 2005: Marieke van den Doel, Natasja van Eck, Gerbrand Korevaar, Anna Tummers, Thijs Weststeijn (editors): The Learned Eye—Regarding Art, Theory, and the Artist's Reputation: Essays for Ernst van de Wetering. Amsterdam University Press, 2005, ISBN 90-5356-713-5.
Who's Afraid of Red, Yellow and Blue Affair
Ernst van de Wetering was one of the critics of the restoration of the painting Who's Afraid of Red, Yellow and Blue III. This painting by Barnett Newman was attacked with a knife by Gerard Jan van Bladeren in 1986 and restored by Daniel Goldreyer in 1991. This led to a legal proceeding, which was concluded by a settlement. Van de Wetering was no longer allowed to publicly criticise the painting. However, he was still allowed to discuss the matter within the scientific community.[10] In 2013, the Dutch newspaper Volkskrant revealded, based on a report of the Judicial Laboratory of the Dutch Ministry of Justice, that Goldreyer's restoration has probably "forever destroyed" Newman's work.[11]
Selected publications
- "Studies in the Workshop Practice of the Early Rembrandt." PhD dissertation, Universiteit van Amsterdam, 1986.[12]
- Rembrandt zelf, W. Books, 1999, ISBN 978-90-400-9314-2.
- Rembrandt: The Painter at Work. Amsterdam University Press, 2009. ISBN 978-90-8964-033-8.
- Ernst van de Wetering, P. van Schaik, B. de Lange. Rembrandt in nieuw licht. Local World, 2009. ISBN 978-90-811681-7-5.
- A Corpus of Rembrandt Paintings, RRP, Springer, 1982–2014: parts 1, 2, and 3 (edited, with J. Bruyn, B. Haak, S.H. Levie, P.J.J. van Thiel); parts 4, 5, and 6 (author).
- "Rembrandt's Beginnings—An Essay." Kassel and Amsterdam, 2001–2002, pages 22–57.
- Rembrandt, A Life in 180 Paintings. Local World, 2008. ISBN 978-90-811681-2-0
- Rembrandt. The Painter Thinking. Amsterdam University Press, 2016. ISBN 978-90-8964-561-6.
- Rembrandt's Paintings Revisited, A Complete Survey, Springer, 2017. ISBN 978-94-024-1027-3.
References
- ^ Een Rembrandt was pas een Rembrandt als hij het zei (in Dutch)
- ^ Prof. dr. E. van de Wetering, 1938 - at the University of Amsterdam Album Academicum website
- ^ "Rembrandt, peintre modèle". Libération.fr. 22 June 2011.
- ^ "Ernst van de Wetering (1938–2021) Passed Away". CODART. 14 August 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
- ^ Max, Arthur (13 July 2006). "Showing His Age". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
- ^ Thijs Weststeijn. "Biography of Ernst van de Wetering." In Marieke van den Doel et al. (ed.) The Learned Eye. 2005, page 13.
- ^ "Awards for Distinction". College Art Association. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
- ^ "In Memoriam: Ernst van der Wetering (1938–2021)". hnanews.org. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
- ^ "Oxford Slade Professors, 1870–present" (PDF). University of Oxford. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 February 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
- ^ "VPRO Marathoninterview with Ernst van de Wetering, 25.12.1998". 25 December 1998.
- ^ "Nog geheim rapport laat zien: schilderij Who's afraid... 'voor altijd vernietigd'". De Volkskrant. 19 September 2013.
- ^ Wetering. "University Library Katalogus". lib.uva.nl. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
External links
- Short video on YouTube of Ernst van de Wetering discussing the "Rembrandt laughing" self-portrait
- Overview of publications by Ernst van de Wetering
- Complete text of his publication "Rembrandt: The Painter at Work", Amsterdam University Press, 1997
- v
- t
- e
- The Senses (1624–25)
- The Stoning of Saint Stephen (1625)
- Suffer little children to come unto me (1620s)
- History Painting (1626)
- Balaam and the Ass (1626)
- The Baptism of the Eunuch (1626)
- Bust of a Man Wearing a Gorget and Plumed Beret (1626)
- Tobit and Anna with the Kid (c. 1626)
- The Flight into Egypt (1627)
- The Parable of the Rich Fool (1627)
- The Artist in his Studio (1628)
- Samson and Delilah (1629–30)
- Anna and the Blind Tobit (c. 1630)
- The Raising of Lazarus (c. 1630–1632)
- Andromeda Chained to the Rocks (1631)
- The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp (1631)
- Christ with a Staff (1631)
- Christ on the Cross (1631)
- Old Man with a Gold Chain (c. 1631)
- Philosopher in Meditation (1632)
- The Abduction of Europa (1632)
- Adoration of the Magi (1632–1633)
- The Shipbuilder and his Wife (1633)
- The Storm on the Sea of Galilee (1633) 2
- A Lady and Gentleman in Black (1633)
- Raising of the Cross (1633)
- Descent from the Cross (1633)
- Diana Bathing with her Nymphs with Actaeon and Callisto (1634)
- Flora (1634)
- Artemisia (1634)
- Pendant portraits of Maerten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit (1634)
- Descent from the Cross (1634)
- Belshazzar's Feast (1635)
- Minerva (1635)
- The Prodigal Son in the Brothel (c. 1635)
- Raising of the Cross (study) (c. 1635)
- The Rape of Ganymede (1635)
- The Entombment of Christ (1635)
- Samson Threatening His Father-In-Law (1635)
- The Standard Bearer (1636)
- Danaë (1636)
- The Blinding of Samson (1636)
- Landscape with Arched Bridge (c. 1636-1637)
- The Preacher Eleazar Swalmius (1637)
- The Archangel Raphael Leaving Tobias' Family (1637)
- The Stone Bridge (1637)
- The Wedding Feast of Samson (1638)
- Landscape with the Good Samaritan (1638)
- Still Life with Peacocks (c. 1639)
- The Girl in a Picture Frame (1641)
- The Scholar at the Lectern (1641)
- The Night Watch (1642)
- Concord of the State (1642)
- David and Jonathan (1642)
- Boaz and Ruth (1643)
- The Woman Taken in Adultery (1644)
- Joseph's Dream (1645)
- The Holy Family with Angels (1645)
- The Mill (1645–1648)
- Abraham Serving the Three Angels (1646)
- Susanna and the Elders (1647)
- Head of Christ (1648)
- The Kitchen Maid (1651)
- Descent from the Cross (1650–1652)
- Saul and David (c. 1652) 1
- Aristotle with a Bust of Homer (1653)
- A Woman Bathing in a Stream (1654)
- Bathsheba at Her Bath (1654)
- The Polish Rider (1655) 1
- Slaughtered Ox (1655)
- Pallas Athene (c. 1655)
- The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Deijman (1656)
- Jacob Blessing the Sons of Joseph (1656)
- Courtesan at her Mirror (1657)
- Saint Bartholomew (1657)
- Moses Breaking the Tablets of the Law (1659)
- Ahasuerus and Haman at the Feast of Esther (1660)
- The Denial of Saint Peter (1660)
- Titus as a Monk (1660)
- The Conspiracy of Claudius Civilis (1661)
- Saint Matthew and the Angel (1661)
- Syndics of the Drapers' Guild (1662)
- Homer Dictating his Verses (1663)
- The Jewish Bride (1664)
- Lucretia (1664) 1
- David and Uriah (c. 1665)
- Young Woman with a Lapdog (1665)
- Lucretia (1666)
- The Return of the Prodigal Son (1662–1669)
- Landscape with a Castle
- Portrait of Nicolaes Ruts (1631)
- Portrait of a Man (1632)
- Portrait of a Woman (1632)
- Portrait of Jacob de Gheyn III (1632)
- Aeltje Pietersdr Uylenburgh (1632)
- Portrait of a Man Rising from His Chair (1633)
- Oval Portrait of a Woman (1633)
- Portrait of Marten Soolmans (1634)
- Portrait of Oopjen Coppit (1634)
- Portrait of Petronella Buys (1635)
- A Polish Nobleman (1637)
- Portrait of Maria Trip (1639)
- Portrait of Jan Six (1654)
- Portrait of Catharina Hooghsaet (1657)
- Portrait of a Man (1657)
- Portrait of a Man with Arms Akimbo (1658)
- Portrait of Dirck van Os (c. 1662)
- Self-Portrait with Dishevelled Hair (1628)
- Rembrandt Laughing (1628)
- Self-Portrait (1629)
- Self-Portrait in a Gorget (c.1629)
- Portrait of a Young Man with a Golden Chain (1635) (disputed)
- Self-Portrait Wearing a White Feathered Bonnet (1635)
- Self-Portrait at the Age of 34 (1640)
- Self-Portrait (1652)
- Self-Portrait in a Black Beret and Gold Chain (1654)
- Self-Portrait (1658)
- Self-Portrait with Beret and Turned-Up Collar (1659)
- Self-Portrait (1660)
- Self-Portrait as the Apostle Paul (1662)
- Self-Portrait as Zeuxis Laughing (1662)
- Self-Portrait with Two Circles (1665–1669)
- Self-Portrait (c. 1669)
- Self-Portrait at the Age of 63 (1669)
(including etchings)
- Joseph and Potiphar's Wife (1634)
- Bearded Old Man (1634)
- River with Trees (1634)
- The Artist and his Model (1639)
- The Death of the Virgin (1639)
- The Mill (1641)
- The Three Trees (1643)
- The State Bed (1646)
- Portrait of Jan Six (1647)
- Hundred Guilder Print (1647–1649)
- Conus Marmoreus (1650)
- Goldweigher's Field (1651)
- Doctor Fautrieus (1652)
- Descent from the Cross by Torchlight (1652)
- The Three Crosses (1653)
- The Virgin and Child with a Cat (1654)
- Christ Presented to the People (1655)
- Mughal drawings
Rembrandt
- Bibliography of Rembrandt
- Cultural depictions of Rembrandt
- Rembrandt (1936 film)
- Rembrandt (1940 film)
- Rembrandt (1942 film)
- Rembrandt: A Self-Portrait (1954 documentary film)
- Rembrandt fecit 1669 (1977 film)
- The Anatomy Lesson (1995 novel)
- Rembrandt (1999 film)
- Stealing Rembrandt (2003 film)
- Nightwatching (2007 film)
- Rembrandt's J'Accuse (2008 documentary)
- I Am Rembrandt's Daughter (2008 novel)
- The Rembrandt Affair (2010 novel)
- Rembrandt, Iowa
- Rembrandtplein
- Rembrandtpark
- Rembrandt (crater)
- Rembrandt (train)
- Vereniging Rembrandt (foundation)
- 1 Contested
- 2 Stolen in 1990