Painting as "Reall Performance" in Rembrandt's Studio

Abstract

Whereas various previous studies have addressed Rembrandt’s own reading habits, this essay shifts attention to the viewer: how did the master expect his public to react to his works? On the basis of art theories from Rembrandt’s circle (chiefly by Samuel van Hoogstraten and Franciscus Junius), the artist’s studio is reconstructed as a place of criticism, where art was evaluated in performative terms: ancient theories of ekphrasis and emotional involvement were put to painterly practice. This practice involved the artist preparing his figure compositions by ‘performing’ in front of a mirror or for an audience, or by trying out small-scale choreographies using dolls. In addition, the presentation of an artwork to viewers could also approach the ideal of an immersion in a virtual reality through the use of curtains, the declamation of texts, and other sound effects.