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All our images can be downloaded in high resolution from our website for non-commercial use (research/study, educational purposes, personal blogs and social media).
Would you like to use our images in a publication? Please mention our credit line: "Mauritshuis, The Hague."
Commercial use
Would you like to use our images for commercial purposes? We would be happy to discuss this with you. Please contact our marketing department at [email protected].
All our images can be downloaded in high resolution from our website for non-commercial use (research/study, educational purposes, personal blogs and social media).
Would you like to use our images in a publication? Please mention our credit line: "Mauritshuis, The Hague."
Commercial use
Would you like to use our images for commercial purposes? We would be happy to discuss this with you. Please contact our marketing department at [email protected].
All our images can be downloaded in high resolution from our website for non-commercial use (research/study, educational purposes, personal blogs and social media).
Would you like to use our images in a publication? Please mention our credit line: "Mauritshuis, The Hague."
Commercial use
Would you like to use our images for commercial purposes? We would be happy to discuss this with you. Please contact our marketing department at [email protected].
All our images can be downloaded in high resolution from our website for non-commercial use (research/study, educational purposes, personal blogs and social media).
Would you like to use our images in a publication? Please mention our credit line: "Mauritshuis, The Hague."
Commercial use
Would you like to use our images for commercial purposes? We would be happy to discuss this with you. Please contact our marketing department at [email protected].
Rembrandt was only twenty-five when he was asked to paint the portraits of the Amsterdam surgeons. The painting was commissioned for the anatomy lesson given by Dr Nicolaes Tulp in January 1632.
Rembrandt portrayed the surgeons in action, and they are all looking at different things. Dynamism is added to the scene by the great contrasts between light and dark. In this group portrait, the young painter displayed his legendary technique and his great talent for painting lifelike portraits.
As well as the names of the doctors, we also know the identity of the corpse: Adriaen Adrieansz, also known as Aris Kindt. Aris was arrested for stealing a winter coat and sentenced to death. He was hanged on 31 January 1632. After his death, Aris’s body was given to the surgical guild for the annual public anatomy lesson.
More about Rembrandt van Rijn
Rembrandt van Rijn was a Dutch 17th-century painter, and one of the most interesting artists of all time. His paintings are full of drama, contrasts between light and dark and experimental brushwork, and are famous all over the world. His lively and original images still touch people today. Rembrandt’s work is unbelievably varied. He mainly made history paintings and portraits, though he also painted landscapes and still lifes. Rembrandt made almost 300 paintings and many prints and drawings in his career.
Commissioned by members of the Surgeons’ Guild, Amsterdam, Waag, 1632-1798; Surgeons’ Widows’ Fund, Amsterdam, Waag, 1798-1828; planned public sale of the painting at the sale of the Surgeons' Widows' Fund, Amsterdam, 4 August 1828 (Lugt 11819) prevented by King William I (Royal Decree, 19 July 1828); purchased by the Dutch State (32,000 guilders) and placed in the Mauritshuis at the order of King William I, 1828
