Rembrandt Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp
Artist: Rembrandt van Rijn (Dutch b. 1606 d. 1669)
Date: 1632
Dimensions: 216 x 170 cm
Medium: oil on canvas
Current location: Mauritshuis, The Hague
Period: Baroque
Genre: group portraiture (masquerading as history painting)

Quick Notes:
  • Group portraits were popular in 17th century Holland. Rembrandt brilliantly transformed
    this genre by creating posed scenes of action that break out of the “team photo” mode.
  • A growing interest in anatomy made public dissections popular in the winter (when the
    bodies would not rot as quickly). The bodies of dead criminals were used for this purpose.
  • Each of the doctors depicted in the painting would have paid Rembrandt to be included in
    the painting. Rembrandt then had to balance the twin goals of showing each sitter in a
    flattering way while also creating the illusion of an actual event taking place.
  • Rembrandt was a masterful painter of hands and eyes. Notice how he uses them to guide
    the viewer’s gaze through the composition.
  • Dr. Tulp is using the forceps to hold the tendons in the cadaver's forearm that would
    control the movement of his fingers. Tulp demonstrates with the fingers of own left hand.
    For artists as well as surgeons, it is manual skill that governs their craft, so Rembrandt
    pays tribute here to doctors while also subtly referring to artists as well.

Suggested Compare-Contrast Target:
  • Thomas Eakins, The Gross Clinic

Writing Prompts:
  • How does the arrangements of figures in the composition guide the viewer's eye?
  • Do you think the eight men whose portraits are present in the painting were happy with
    Rembrandt's depiction of them? Why or why not?


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