On loan: Rembrandt and Willem van de Velde in the Gallery of Honour

One of Rembrandts biggest paintings

The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Jan Deijman (1656) was once among Rembrandt’s largest paintings, but in 1723 it was severely damaged by fire. This happened in the Waag (Weigh House) on Amsterdam’s Nieuwmarkt.

Based on a surviving sketch by Rembrandt, a reconstruction has been made to show the work in its original form. The scene originally showed eight surgeons observing Dr. Jan Deijman (of whom only his upper body remains visible) as he dissected the brain of the executed criminal Joris Fonteijn. By foreshortening the body and casting a strong overhead light, Rembrandt created a powerful contrast, making the dissecting table appear to almost project out of the painting. The painting will be shown in the Gallery of Honour amidst other works by Rembrandt.

The homecoming of Cornelis Tromps flagship

In Willem van de Velde II’s 1686 painting, the celebrated warship The Golden Lion takes centre stage. After years of service in naval battles, the flagship of Lieutenant-Admiral Cornelis Tromp is shown arriving in Amsterdam’s harbour, where it would eventually be dismantled. The city’s skyline in the background leaves no doubt about the location.

Van de Velde depicted the arrival in dramatic fashion: the late afternoon sun casts theatrical light across the ship, a breeze fills the sails, and sailors climb the rigging to furl them. In the foreground, a ceremonial barge of the Amsterdam city council heads towards the ship, while on the left a yacht fires a salute.

Original Loans from the City of Amsterdam

The reason for these loans is the renovation of the main building of the Amsterdam Museum on Kalverstraat. Elsewhere in the city, however, the Museum remains visible through collaborative projects with cultural partners, including the Rijksmuseum.

Norbert Middelkoop, Senior Curator of Paintings, Drawings, and Prints at the Amsterdam Museum: “The two paintings are considered absolute highlights in the oeuvres of both masters and also boast a venerable Rijksmuseum history. The Golden Lion on the IJ was one of the seven original loans from the city of Amsterdam and hung in the Rijksmuseum from 1808 to 1975.”

''The Anatomical Lesson of Dr. Jan Deijman was in the Rijksmuseum from 1885, until the loan was amicably concluded in 1993. It then found a place in the Amsterdam Museum among other Anatomical Lessons. It feels good to be able to continue admiring these masterpieces in the Gallery of Honour in the coming period.”