Rembrandt Conservation Histories

The conservation histories of Rembrandt’s works are examined with contributors tracing how approaches to their care, restoration, and interpretation have evolved over time. Drawing on case studies, archival research, and technical analysis, the studies reveal how shifting conservation practices have shaped our understanding of Rembrandt’s materials, methods, and legacy.

Important masterpieces in museum collections, such as the paintings by Rembrandt, often have the dubious honour of having undergone numerous conservation treatments in the past. Because of the significance of the paintings, these treatments are generally well documented. For example, The Anatomy Lesson of Dt Nicolaes Tulp has undergone twenty-three documented treatments, while those of The Night Watch amount to twenty-five. Rembrandt’s paintings are found in major collections all over the world. Every country has its own traditions, developments and approaches to conservation with important restorers having played a key role in the treatment and appearance of Rembrandt paintings. In Rembrandt Conservation Histories, experts address aspects relating to the conservation history of paintings by Rembrandt and other 17th-century Dutch masters, raising awareness of how the appearance and condition of paintings by Rembrandt can be explained in part by their treatment history. Published in association with the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam

Jorgen Wadum From ten to zero and now two: the Rembrandts at SMK uncovered

Noemie Etienne Restoring Rembrandt and the making of art history

Claire Betelu and Barbara Jouves The conservation history of the Rembrandt paintings from the Musee du Louvre, 1793-1950

Irina Sokolova Brief overview of the conservation history of paintings by Rembrandt and his studio in the State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, 1760s-2018

Christoph Scholzel '... judiciously and appropriately made ...': The restoration of Rembrandt paintings in the Dresden Gemaldegalerie

Anne Harmssen, Thomas Kramer and Christiane Ehrenforth Rembrandt re-stretched: 250 years of conservation history at the Gemaldegalerie Alte Meister in Kassel

Katja Kleinert and Claudia Laurenze-Landsberg Three examples of far-reaching alterations to Rembrandt works in the Berlin Gemaldegalerie

Morwenna Blewett 'Dirt in the grooves' and Rembrandts in London: treatment, documentation and technical publications in the first half of the 20th century

Alice Tate-Harte and Allison Goudie Clouds and cracks: caring for Kenwood's Rembrandt, 1929-1969

Dorothy Mahon On the conservation history of Rembrandt paintings in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and The Frick Collection, 1891-2018

Dina Anchin and Alexandra Libby Changing tastes, changing treatments: conservation histories of Rembrandt paintings at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC

Yvonne Szafran Five Rembrandt paintings at the Getty: their conservation histories and a new look at 'Saint Bartholomew'

Joyce Hill Stoner Histories of paintings conservation featuring approaches to the treatment of Rembrandt paintings

Nadja Garthoff The Rembrandt Database: a platform for the history of conservation and research on Rembrandt paintings

Jan Schmidt Notes on early conservation treatments of the Rembrandt collection at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich

Thomas Kramer and Monika Kammer Rembrandt and the 'X-ray controversy': historical and contemporary damage examinations of Rembrandt paintings at the Gemaldegalerie Alte Meister in Kassel

Esther van Duijn 'Like a drunkard, the diseased painting craved the regenerating alcohol ...' The numerous varnish treatments of Rembrandt's 'The Night Watch' between 1889 and 1936

Carol Pottasch, Susan Smelt and Petria Noble The restoration(s) of Rembrandt's 'Saul and David' between 1898 and 1900

Michiel Franken 'What was the intent of the painter: that is what the restorer thinks about'. Rembrandt and the De Wild family, 1900-30

Jeroen Giltaij New results and facts of three paintings by Rembrandt and his school treated in Rotterdam: 'The Concord of the State', 'Titus at His Desk' and 'The Man in a Red Cap'

Larry Keith Rembrandt and conservation at the National Gallery, London,

Jørgen Wadum
From ten to zero and now two: the Rembrandts at SMK uncovered

Noémie Étienne
Restoring Rembrandt and the making of art history

Claire Betelu and Barbara Jouves
The conservation history of the Rembrandt paintings from the Musée du Louvre, 1793–1950

Irina Sokolova
Brief overview of the conservation history of paintings by Rembrandt and his studio in the State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, 1760s–2018

Christoph Schölzel
‘… judiciously and appropriately made …’: The restoration of Rembrandt paintings in the Dresden Gemäldegalerie 

Anne Harmssen, Thomas Krämer and Christiane Ehrenforth
Rembrandt re-stretched: 250 years of conservation history at the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Kassel

Katja Kleinert and Claudia Laurenze-Landsberg
Three examples of far-reaching alterations to Rembrandt works in the Berlin Gemäldegalerie

Morwenna Blewett
‘Dirt in the grooves’ and Rembrandts in London: treatment, documentation and technical publications in the first half of the 20th century

Alice Tate-Harte and Allison Goudie
Clouds and cracks: caring for Kenwood’s Rembrandt, 1929–1969

Dorothy Mahon
On the conservation history of Rembrandt paintings in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and The Frick Collection, 1891–2018

Dina Anchin and Alexandra Libby
Changing tastes, changing treatments: conservation histories of Rembrandt paintings at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC

Yvonne Szafran
Five Rembrandt paintings at the Getty: their conservation histories and a new look at ‘Saint Bartholomew’

Joyce Hill Stoner
Histories of paintings conservation featuring approaches to the treatment of Rembrandt paintings

Nadja Garthoff
The Rembrandt Database: a platform for the history of conservation and research on Rembrandt paintings

Jan Schmidt
Notes on early conservation treatments of the Rembrandt collection at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich

Thomas Krämer and Monika Kammer
Rembrandt and the ‘X-ray controversy’: historical and contemporary damage examinations of Rembrandt paintings at the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Kassel

Esther van Duijn
‘Like a drunkard, the diseased painting craved the regenerating alcohol …’ The numerous varnish treatments of Rembrandt’s ‘The Night Watch’ between 1889 and 1936

Carol Pottasch, Susan Smelt and Petria Noble
The restoration(s) of Rembrandt’s ‘Saul and David’ between 1898 and 1900

Michiel Franken
‘What was the intent of the painter: that is what the restorer thinks about’. Rembrandt and the De Wild family, 1900–30

Jeroen Giltaij
New results and facts of three paintings by Rembrandt and his school treated in Rotterdam: ‘The Concord of the State’, ‘Titus at His Desk’ and ‘The Man in a Red Cap’

Larry Keith
Rembrandt and conservation at the National Gallery, London

• Edited by Esther van Duijn
• Edited by Petria Noble

"'... At the end of this book it would have become clear to any reader that serious and systematic investigation and examination of the conservation history of paintings by artists such as Rembrandt is invaluable. Rembrandt Conservation Histories will no doubt become an important reference work for both the reader interested in Rembrandt the artist and his work but also the broader history of conservation itself. In the end this book encourages us, as conservators, to continue to question our actions and examine the perceived benefits of any interventions we might make.'" Reviewed by Leonie van der Graaf for The Picture Restorer, Issue 61 Autum 2022
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'... At the end of this book it would have become clear to any reader that serious and systematic investigation and examination of the conservation history of paintings by artists such as Rembrandt is invaluable. Rembrandt Conservation Histories will no doubt become an important reference work for both the reader interested in Rembrandt the artist and his work but also the broader history of conservation itself. In the end this book encourages us, as conservators, to continue to question our actions and examine the perceived benefits of any interventions we might make.'

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