New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-11-20
BY REMBRANDT

YOklhAl1S By kkMbhANDl.
With the exception OF e. The Glider we have seen
IN this city no example Of Rembrandt equal in
ouencs to the Van Beresteyn portraits which have
beou received by Messrs. Cottier e. Co. As we have
said BEFORE 1t is moro than probable that these por
traits will be presented to the Metropolitan Museum
and It is certain that they will be appreciated by
our public. These pictures are in admirable con-
dition Refining has been done, which, Of course.
does not affect the painting. but there are no signs
Of the rctouching or clumsy, violent cleaning, which
have injured many noble examples Of the painter $
art Both pictures bear the signature and date,
Rt van Ryn, 1882" The canvas in each case meas
ures 43 l.: by "a 1-2 inches, and in each picture
the subject is presented in nearly full front view
at two thirds length These subjects Christian
Paul Van Bcresteyn. Burgomaster Of DELPHI. and
his wife, volkera Ncoai Knobbert The portraits
have remained until very recently in the possession
Of the Van Bercsteyn family at The Hague
Both pictures are very admirable examples OF
Rembrandts singular power in the expression OF
character, but example Of painting the por
trait Of the wife takes precedence. A plain, harsh
featured, rather melancholy face, was the face Of
yolkera Nicolai Knobbcrt, as Rembrandt most
truthful Of portrait painters, represents IL, but he
has found compensation in the cunning rendering OF
hesn and tho superb painting OF details,
although accessories are allowed to detract
from the human element, the individuality Of the
teched from the background, the modelling is clean
and frm and the textures rendered with SURPRISING
delicacy. On the stiff white ruff the brush-work
becomes little broader, In 90 The CildeH' but In
O lesser degree. The dress is black There are
pulled sleeves showing satin and another stuff with
lace the wrists, and the lusrous black surfaces
arc relieved by gold chain worn about the neck
a tinsel girdlc strings OF pearls about the wrists
and the gold tassel Of black fan held In the right
hand The left hand, which rests upon table,
may well be called perfect piece OF nesh psih1ns'
The blood fs felt beneath the skin, ana yet ne
coor,ng is not forced. The hand IS alive instinct
with vitality but 1t is forced upon the observer
Its place is kept naturally as the other hand
holds the fan. The table is Of a dark owe, ana
tho background shows graysh and olive coiorhg.
The shadow Is behind the left side of the head ana
there is slight relief in the head OF pin thrust
through the crown of hair. The background on
the figures left is wall with map hanging Just
below the cornice details hardly noticeable at first,
but valuable as contributing to the effect of depth
and of atmosphere In later life Rembrandt would
lave painted with broader touch and his coloring
would have boon more brilliant, but this animate,
beautiful portrait leaves occasion for regrets
The Burgomaster Christian Paul Van Dercsteyn,
was given. perhaps, TO plain thinking, and II not
10 high living at least TO living of very comfort
able kind. Doubtless Rembrandt painted him cx-
actly as he stood before the artist man Of force
though hardly force of intellect man good-humoicu
and fond of good things, though he deemed
II necessary TO support his office by an air Of dig
nifty when a portrait In question. We can
imagine Rembrandts keen eyes searching Beresteyn,
and piercing this slight disguise Of staeliness, which
the artist indicated, perhaps smiling 10 himself as
he went on TO express the true character of his
sitter. a stout. substantial figure It is which con-
fronts US on the canvas, a man with rather nigh
but narrow forehead, pleasant brown eyes broad
face and a light mus;ache and chin tuft, with fun
red lips between. Thore is white run, where
the broader painting shows more than in the other
portrait 4 black cloak hangs from the right
shoulder, the right hand is raised to the breast
and the left hand, which glove, Is In shadow
Here again We have to note the vitality OF the
flesh cooring although there is no single piece OF
painting equal TO the hand in the other portrait.
On the figures left tho neutral coorng of the back
ground rises hight grayish tones, and the figure
is perfectly relieved The costume has offered fewer
chances for effective details than the costume In
the companion portrait, but as An example OF por-
traiture pure and simple, II would be dl1cuN 10
account this inferior
When these portraits were painted Rembrandt had
but recently removed TO Amsterdam. IL was IN
1880 that no adopted the city his permanent place
of residence The year he painted the Pre-
sentaton In the Temple sufficient proof that his
period Of prentice work had ended. 1t was prooaoiy
In 1882 that he finished the splendid tribute 10 MS
good friend TULIP, which the world knows as The
iects alike were undertaken in that year, Jesus and
Nicodcmus' Moses in the Bulrushes" and The
Ripe Of Proserpine,7 which now hangs in the Berlin
Museum. Among the portraits of the year was that
Of Van Coppenol, which has earned speciai distnc
tion but until very recent date the Van Bereseyn
portraits have escaped notice They are not recofueu
n the catalogues ia.sOnnees OF |OsMaer anu smith,
nor are they mentioned by Charles Blanc. IL was
lft for Duiuit in the edition of 1883, 10 lnclude
these portraits which set down as stiH belong
Ing the Van BcreStcyn family az went
This implies story Of discovery, and tho Story,
told BY Iutuit runs thus " These are paintings
reconfIy discovered at Necht under very curious cir
curstaures. which lave learned AFTER a CORE
spondence addressed 10 the independence bclse'
ON October "a 1854, there held at the chaitau
of Maurk sale of old portraits belonging 10 inc
Beeresteyn family. Being considered as WORKS OF
secondary value. these portraits simply placed
in the catalogue pictures on panels ana pictures
on canvas. Among the number were two by Rem
brandt more or less injured in certain places Dy
dust but OF an ncOntestable authenticity. during
the exhibition which precede the sale, some anna
tours removing the dust little, discovered on me
the date of 1852 and they thus learn that these
portraits belong 10 the first period OF the master
The amateurs, However. acquainted no one WITH theT
discovery, hoping without doubt 10 prCnt hcrrDy
themselves. AT the sale the bids rapidly Increased
for the two pictures, from forty 10 10000 hofihs
1t Is then that the Beeresteyn family, astonsheu
learn the origin OF these two capital works There
upon the family also enters the bidding and raises
the bids to $4,000 FORMS or 10000 francs, price
az which the Beeresteyns have remained owners OF
the pictures.n And now, after this long penOd OF
neglect and obscurty, these examples OF the master
OF Holland art TO find permanent home where
tho American public can profit by their lessons