Art flows to where the money is

Art flows to where the money is

More than once people asked how a novice portraitist must decide his prices. I remember I once said: If you don’t have any orders you are either  too expensive, or you have too little quality.  If you have too many commissions, it may be that you are too cheap.

Art flows to where the money is. Portrait of Jan Six by Rembrandt
Portrait of Jan Six by Rembrandt

An interesting book that I am currently reading is “The lives of Jan Six”, written by the Dutch historian Geert Mak. I do not know if there is an English translation. Continue reading “Art flows to where the money is”

Late Rembrandt in Amsterdam

Rembrandt van Rijn

Because of my short stay in the Netherlands for some portrait commissions, I had the opportunity to visit the Late Rembrandt exhibition. I got the ticket as a gift. (thank you Julie)
What can I say about the exhibition? Staggering! Rembrandt is the greatest painter Holland ever had. In his heydays he was a most appreciated and well payed artist. Because of private problems, he became impoverished, was declared bankrupt and lost everything he owned. He could not even pay his rent anymore. In Amsterdam, he was reviled. The exhibition deals with these last difficult years.

rembrandt Claudius Civillis
Claudius Civillis

Looking at one of his last commissions, Claudius Civillis I feel the anger towards the established order. Allthough the commission was acquired, it later was removed from its important place in the new town hall of Amsterdam. I see an artist experimenting his techniques and at the same  time willfully seeking for problems with his clients.

rembrandt
An Old Woman Reading

If I should name three highlights: the portrait of Jan Six, a Woman Bathing in a Stream and finally An Old Woman Reading.  This last painting really moved me deeply.