Syndics of the Drapers' Guild
It is a 1662 oil painting that is in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, and it is 191’5 cm high and 279 cm wide, the work of art has Rembrandt’s signature in the upper right corner, on the wall.
Rembrandt was a famous Dutch painter who was born on the 15th of July in 1606 in Leiden, and he died on the 4th of October (in) 1669. He stands out in the Baroque period, (apart from his natural talent) because he painted in the golden period of Holland. He dominatedthe themes of his homeland, portraits and the daily life.
On this picture, Rembrandt portrayed them looking up from their work, as though disturbed by our arrival. This artistic device was a clever way of enlivening the scene and thereby involving the viewer. This late work by Rembrandt not only attest to his endless creativity, but also to his undiminished popularity among the citizens of Amsterdam.
As we can see, there are five Staalmeesters (members of the syndics of the drapers guild) controlling the quality of the drape.
As we can see, there are five Staalmeesters (members of the syndics of the drapers guild) controlling the quality of the drape.
This was a post for which they didn’t receive money (for work on it) and they were electedfor a period of one year. Probably, the people who are painted in this work are Jacob van Loon, Volckert Jansz, Willem van Doeyenburg ( the president ), Aernout of the Meye and Jochem the Neve, and behind them a servant is represented. We can distinguish him because he is the only person who is not wearing a hat.
In the center of the painting we can see that are reading a book, probably the economy book of the guild.
One curious thing of this painting is its casual discovery in Puerto Rico, by the painter Peter Van Delfi, who obtained the work for 140$ thinking that it was a copy, but John Baron van Palland, an expert in Dutch paintings identified it as the original on the 20th of April in 1968.
Photo sources
Rembrandt self portrait:
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