Arcadópolis
The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Nicolaes Tulp
Rembrandt, 1632
What you see
A lifeless body, covered only by a white cloth at the hips, lies diagonally across the table. On the right, Dr Tulp, the only one wearing a hat, lifts the forearm muscles with forceps and raises his other hand as he explains. On the left, seven men in white collars crowd together in a pyramid: some study the arm, some the open book by the feet, and some look straight out at us.
The pale body is the brightest area and leads the eye to the doctor’s hand. Blacks and grays dominate around it, broken by the white collars, each fold painted with care. Look for the sheet of paper held by one of the men at the back, and the painter’s signature on the wall.
About Rembrandt
Rembrandt van Rijn was the great master of light and shadow of the Dutch Golden Age, in Amsterdam. He painted faces so expressive that they seem to think and feel. He made about 80 self-portraits, like a diary of his whole life.
More by Rembrandt
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