Rembrandt: True to Life at NGV

Enter the world of Rembrandt, one of the most influential artists of the Dutch Golden Age, at the National Gallery of Victoria’s (NGV) newest exhibition Rembrandt: True to Life. In what is the largest collection of Rembrant works assembled in Australia for more than 25 years, visitors have the rare opportunity to wander, marvel and fall in love with the intricate art form of etching, the innovation behind the work and the awe-striking landscapes. Milk Bar visited the collection one wintry Saturday afternoon and has put together a quick guide of what you can expect to see.  

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn – or Rembrandt to his nearest and dearest in the 17th Century and the rest of the world thereon – was an extraordinary artist of his time and is famous for his prolific works of over 300 prints and more than 100 etchings. Rembrandt is considered a brilliant observer, storyteller and innovator, lauded for his creativity and ingenuity when it came to printmaking. This exquisite collection features works from across the world and has been assembled to showcase the life and evolution of Rembrandt, from his humble beginnings etching portraits of his parents in Leiden in the 1620s to his final years in Amsterdam in the 1660s. 

The exhibition clearly demonstrates the sheer breadth of Rembrandt’s interests and superior ability to work with various subject matter and across genres. Powerful portraiture, evocative landscapes, nude art and expressive Biblical illustrations are just some themes that are on full display. A highlight of the collection is Self-portrait which shows Rembrandt at the age of 53 in a poignant and psychologically insightful pose after the artist declared bankruptcy. There’s the iconic The three trees, one of Rembrandt’s largest etchings, which illustrates three stoic and grounded trees amid turbulent weather, a moody cloudy sky and diagonal passages of rain and bursts of light. (Sounds like a typical Melbourne day.) 

Rembrandt peeked beneath high-necked chemises, broad linen collars and lots of black fabric of the Dutch populace through his fascination with working naer het leven (from life = nude). In the famous etching Diana at the bath, the artist goes against the norm of celebrating conventional representations of mythological goddesses by presenting the deity as an unidealised figure drawn from everyday life. The intricacy of etching and the detailed rendering of figures, space and atmosphere culminates in Rembrandt’s re-creation of a biblical scene in The Hundred Guilder Print. 

A surprising titbit is Rembrandt never left the Netherlands or travelled abroad yet amassed a collection of worldly treasures and artefacts. The exhibition recreates the artist’s Wunderkammer – or cabinet of curiosities – and includes ancient armoury and helmets, weaponry, large shells and rare natural objects, ceramics and musical instruments. 

‘Rembrandt was a master printmaker and his experimentation in the medium reveals his insatiable curiosity and sheer versatility as an artist,’ says Tony Ellwood AM, Director, NGV. 

Rembrandt: True to Life is open until Sunday 10 September 2023. 

Rembrandt: True to Life
National Gallery of Victoria – 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, 3006
Open until Sunday 10 September 2023