Rubens and Rembrandt

National Gallery, London
22 March – 16 July 2017

Compare two great masters of the 17th century, profoundly different in style and approach yet united in their genius

Peter Paul Rubens and Rembrandt van Rijn are two of the most revered artists of Northern Europe; each had enormous impact on the art of their own time and on the generations that followed, yet their individual styles and approaches differed immensely.

The suave, erudite artist and diplomat Rubens, a native of Antwerp, was the dominant force in Flemish art of his generation, who found success among prestigious patrons across Europe.

In contrast, in Leiden and Amsterdam, Rembrandt forged a bold and independent path that often went against prevailing taste. Choosing to focus on his close surroundings and to explore the depths of human emotion, he rarely, if ever, traveled beyond the Dutch border.

This special display of selected works by the two artists – among the most represented in the National Gallery Collection – provides an opportunity to absorb the depth and diversity of their work, and to recognise the individual character of these giants of northern European Baroque.

Self Portrait at the Age of 34
Rembrandt
1640    The National Gallery, London

Portrait of Aechje Claesdr,
Rembrandt
© The National Gallery, London    NG775    1634 Oil on oak 71.1 x 55.9 cm

Belshazzar’s Feast, Rembrandt
© The National Gallery, London    NG6350    Oil on canvas 167.6 x 209.2 cm

Self Portrait at the Age of 63
Rembrandt
1669    © The National Gallery, London The National Gallery, London.

Saskia van Uylenburgh in Arcadian Costume, Rembrandt
© The National Gallery, London    NG4930    Oil on canvas 123.5 x 97.5 cm   
1635    The National Gallery, London

Portrait of Susanna Lunden(?) ('Le Chapeau de Paille'), Peter Paul Rubens
© The National Gallery, London    NG852    Oil on oak 79 x 54.6 cm  
Probably 1622-5    The National Gallery, London

The Judgment of Paris, Peter Paul Rubens
© The National Gallery, London    NG194    Oil on oak 144.8 x 193.7 cm   
Probably 1632-5    The National Gallery, London

Samson and Delilah, Peter Paul Rubens
© The National Gallery, London    NG6461    Oil on wood 185 x 205 cm   
about 1609-10    The National Gallery, London

Portrait of Ludovicus Nonnius, Peter Paul Rubens
© The National Gallery, London    NG6393    Oil on wood 124.4 x 92 cm   
Peter Paul Rubens
about 1627 The National Gallery, London