Rembrandt at the Frick

Rembrandt van Rijn's paintings, drawings, and etchings were among the most coveted by collectors in his day, in Henry Clay Frick's day, and still today. And allow me to be the first to tell you that one Henry Clay Frick, art collector extraordinaire, did not like to be outdone. As the largest individual railway stockholder in the world, Frick is reported to have said that "railways are the Rembrandts of investment." And when asked whose talents he would most like to possess, Frick answered, "Rembrandt's."

Fritz Lugt was a Dutch collector in the first half of the 20th century who amassed a comprehensive collection of Rembrandt's drawings and prints. Now at the Frick is an exhibit of works by Rembrandt and his followers, both from Frick's and Lugt's collections. Rembrandt had such a unique and captivating style that many artists imitated him in their work, some so well that for years their prints, drawings, and paintings were thought to be from Rembrandt's own hand. Frick himself was fooled by two of the five paintings he bought as Rembrandts, which were not until recently confirmed to be by other artists (some still unknown.) 

The exhibit at the Frick is organized into three areas: the five paintings that Frick bought (three of which are actually by Rembrandt) hang together in the Oval Room, a selection of Rembrandt prints from Frick's own collection are displayed in the Cabinet Room, and in the downstairs gallery are two rooms of prints and drawings, one of works by Rembrandt and one of works by his followers. What I found most fascinating about the exhibit is how many works were believed to be by Rembrandt until very recently. However, now that scholars have proved different authorship, it's apparent why they are by other artists. The lines are too thick, the paint strokes not detailed enough, or in the case of one drawing, the same figure was found as a detail in a larger painting signed by another artist. Other works, however, are less obvious, and are still disputed by scholars today. My favorite works in the exhibit are a collection of self-portrait etchings and drawings. Rembrandt looks so distinctly different in each one, showing himself in a different emotional state, yet each is clearly the same man, over a course of many years.

Read the New York Times Review of the exhibit, and then come see for yourself if you can tell a work by Rembrandt from a work by one of his followers!