The painting I'll be reviewing: "Christ with Arms Folded" by Rembrandt van Rijn (van Rijn, Rembrandt Harmenszoon. 1659. Christ with Folded Arms. Hyde Collection, Glens Falls, NY. Rembrandt.louvre.fr. Web. 27 March 2015.)
Rembrandt's painting was typical of the Baroque period (starting in Rome and lasting from aroud 1600-1725), incorporating chiaroscuro to highlight the central element of the painting and the use of a religious icon as the subject, in this instance the figure of a serene Christ. Because of a low-level tension generated by the actions and edicts from Catholic Church which caused many learned people to revolt, the Church turned to convincing the general illiterate masses not to defect or attempt to bring about reform. They turned to hiring the best artists to produce great works of religious-themed art, which would be used to appeal to the lower classes of society. Rembrandt's painting shows a carefully controlled application of color and tight brushwork, culminating in a serene depiction of a sacred Christ, designed to show the peasant classes that the Church was the source of control and the embodiment of religion in Europe. Because the Protestant Church did not typically commission art (particularly when compared to the Catholic Church), believing art was purely ornamental and not sacred, Rembrandt painted many commissioned pieces for the Catholic Church while personally remaining a Dutch Protestant. Author W. A. Visser't Hooft noted that "(Rembrandt) kept aloof from any dogmatism," and "Rembrandt is the only artist to have rendered the genuine temper of the Gospel correctly." (W. A. Visser't Hooft, "Rembrandt and the Gospel" (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1957), pg 109-110).
Rembrandt's work helped to solidify the Baroque period's commonalities, including chiaroscuro and impasto. His style was looked upon as a fluid entity, since he constantly experimented and modified his style, sometimes within a single painting. An example of this evolution within a painting can be seen in "Night Watch" (Rembrandt, 1640-1642).
"Seen over his whole career, the changes in Rembrandt’s style are remarkable. His approach to composition and his rendering of space and light—like his handling of contour, form, and colour, his brushwork, and (in his drawings and etchings) his treatment of line and tone—are subject to gradual (or sometimes abrupt) transformation." (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/497584/Rembrandt-van-Rijn. Britannica Encyclopedia. Web. 21 March 2015.)
Additionally, the Protestant feeling that spirituality was part and parcel of the material world influenced his paintings, bringing in special lighting techniques such as chiaroscuro to bring the feeling of divine light to his paintings of religious-based figures. He did this often, since about a third of his paintings ended up being based on religious subjects.
I’ve personally viewed this painting at the Hyde Museum in Glens Falls, New York. Even though I’m not a religious person, the painting evoked a sense of quiet, dignified serenity. The group I was with on the tour all became silent when we viewed this painting. It was an interesting reaction to the work of Rembrandt’s masterful work.
Iron Noder 2017