In commemoration of the 350th anniversary of the death of Rembrandt van Rijn, Agnes will present Leiden circa 1630: Rembrandt Emerges. The early years of Rembrandt van Rijn’s career have been recognized as ones of daring experimentation, experimentation that culminated in a signature pictorial vocabulary around 1630. After years of refining his skill, his work around this time displays the powerful chiaroscuro, gestural lucidity, and rigorous evocation of materiality that predict his finest achievements in his later Amsterdam period. Contextualized by work from his colleagues and students, Rembrandt emerges as a defining figure of the Leiden market.
This exhibition draws upon the strengths of The Bader Collection, such as Rembrandt’s Head of an Old Man in a Cap and Jan Lievensz.’s Head of an Old Woman in Profile, and the rich collections of Dutch art across Canada to present a focused view of the trademark subjects and styles that made the artist’s reputation. It celebrates the artistic import, savvy self-promotion and stylistic identity that Rembrandt cultivated and modelled to those in his circle.
The exhibition is curated by Dr Jacquelyn N. Coutré, Bader Curator and Researcher of European Art, and will be accompanied by a fully-illustrated catalogue in English and French. The catalogue and the exhibition tour are supported by grants from the Isabel & Alfred Bader Fund of Bader Philanthropies, and the Museums Assistance Program – Access to Heritage, Department of Canadian Heritage.
For more information visit the museum website.
Related programs:
Season Launch
Thursday 19 September 2019
Members’ Preview: 5–6 pm, Public Reception: 6–7:30 pm
Performance by Melos Choir and Period Instruments: 6:15 pm
The Season Launch celebrates four new exhibitions, including Dr Jacquelyn Coutré’s Leiden circa 1630: Rembrandt Emerges. This not-to-miss show offers a revelatory introduction to the Dutch master’s formative years.
Imagining Rembrandt Tours
See for Yourself with Carmen Papalia
Sunday 29 September, 1–3 pm
30-minute tours, on the hour and half hour
Artist Carmen Papalia and Agnes Docents will guide visitors through the exhibition Leiden circa 1630: Rembrandt Emerges on a “See for Yourself” non-visual tour. Designed for sighted, partially sighted or blind visitors, this community experience acknowledges the innate wisdom of all learners. Everyone is welcome to join us for this free, innovative and accessible program, a Culture Days feature: https://culturedays.ca/
Born in Vancouver, unceded Coast Salish territory, Carmen Papalia is a 2019 Sobey Award Long List nominee. He uses organizing strategies and improvisation to address access to public space, the art institution, and visual culture. Papalia’s walks, workshops, and interventions model new standardsand practices of accessibility.
Multi-Sensory Tour
Sunday 24 November, 2–4 pm
Agnes offers a multi-sensory tour to open access to the art experience, for partially sighted or blind adults. Focusing on Rembrandt’s Head of an Old Man in a Cap, 1630, and other selected pieces in Leiden circa 1630: Rembrandt Emerges, this accessible tour offers tactile and audio approaches, to allow deeper understanding of the works.
[Image caption: Rembrandt (1606-1669), Head of an Old Man in a Cap, ca. 1630. Agnes Etherington Art Centre at Queen’s University, Kingston.]