Symposium Rembrandt...?

Question marks surrounding Rembrandt and his oeuvre

The Mauritshuis is organizing a symposium for art historians and conservators on question marks surrounding Rembrandt and his oeuvre on the 16th of May, this will focus on (material-technical) research of and attribution issues surrounding Rembrandt's oeuvre.

This afternoon will also mark the departure of our conservator Carol Pottasch, who will retire after 35 years at the Mauritshuis. The day will be concluded with farewell drinks for Carol.

The Mauritshuis holds one of the most important collections of Rembrandt paintings in the world. Eleven of these are among the best within Rembrandt's oeuvre, such as The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Nicolaes Tulp from 1632. The Mauritshuis also owns another seven works that, although once acquired as a Rembrandt, have since been rejected or have had their attribution questioned.

Following the exhibition Rembrandt and the Mauritshuis in the Rembrandt Year 2019, it was decided to restore and further investigate three of those doubted paintings, and thus the project Rembrandt...? was initiated.

This project has now been completed. The results of the research and restoration of these three paintings – Study of an old man (inv. 560), Tronie of an old man (inv. 565) and Portrait of Rembrandt (1606-1669) with a gorget (inv. 148) – will be on display in a presentation at the Mauritshuis from 15 April onwards.

The symposium will be held in English. Speakers include Carol Pottasch, Sabrina Meloni, Abbie Vandivere, Annelies van Loon, Jørgen Wadum, Petria Noble, Ariane van Suchtelen, Susan Smelt, David Dewitt and Volker Manuth who will deliver the keynote.

The exact content of this afternoon will be announced at a later date.

When 16 mei 2025 - 13:00 - 17:00, followed by drinks

Price: €25

Programme

13:00 – 13:30
Registration (with coffee and tea)

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13:30 – 13:40
Welcome by Martine Gosselink, General Director Mauritshuis & Judith Niessen, Head of Collections (moderator)

13:40 – 13:50
Rembrandt…? A Short Introduction to the Three Paintings
Ariane van Suchtelen, Curator Mauritshuis

13:50 – 14:00
Challenges in Treatment and attribution of Study of an Old Man
Carol Pottasch, Paintings Conservator Mauritshuis

14:00 – 14:10
Daddy Issues: Research into Tronie of an Old Man, c. 1630–31
Dr. Abbie Vandivere, Paintings Conservator Mauritshuis

14:10 – 14:20
Underlying evidence. Research and Restoration of “Portrait of Rembrandt with a Gorget
Sabrina Meloni, Paintings Conservator Mauritshuis

14.20 – 14.30 | Infrared research of the early Rembrandt’s and his workshop
Prof. em. Dr. Jørgen Wadum, Wadum Art Technological Studies – WATS, and Associate Researcher at the RKD

14:30 – 14:40 | Material-Technical Research on Late Rembrandt Paintings: Study of an Old Man (Mauritshuis MH560) in Context
Annelies van Loon, Paintings Research Scientist Rijksmuseum & Mauritshuis

14:40 – 14:50
Q & A

14:50 – 15:20
Coffee/Tea

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15:20 – 15:30
The newly (re)discovered portraits of Jan Willemsz van der Pluym and Jaapgen Carelsdr: authenticity and attribution
Petria Noble, Paintings researcher Rembrandt Paintings, Rijksmuseum

15:30 – 15:40
Brushes with Talent: Rembrandt’s Workshop over Four Decades
Dr. David de Witt, Senior Curator Museum Rembrandthuis

15:40 – 15:50
In Denial about Carol’s retirement: material technical research into Rembrandt’s The Denial of St. Peter
Susan Smelt, Paintings Conservator Rijksmuseum Amsterdam

15:50 – 16:00
Shellac and blue paper: The importance of conservation history when treating a painting by Rembrandt
Dr. Esther van Duijn, Paintings conservator and researcher

16:00 – 16:20
Keynote: Reflections on the current state of Rembrandt research
Prof. em. dr. Volker Manuth, Professor of Early Modern Art History, Radboud University Nijmegen

16:20 – 16:30
Q & A

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16:30 – 19:00
Farewell drink Carol Pottasch

16:35 – 16:45
Laudatio Carol Pottasch