Rembrandt's People

For the next two years, the Wadsworth Atheneum is planning a series of small-scale dossier exhibitions inspired by works in its permanent collection and Rembrandt’s People will debut this series. The exhibition focuses on the artist Rembrandt van Rijn, Holland’s greatest seventeenth century painter. In the 1960s, the Atheneum acquired two paintings attributed to Rembrandt, a supposed Portrait of Saskia and Portrait of Titus. Although published at the time with much fanfare, both works have over time come to be identified as products of the Rembrandt shop. 

Therefore, to introduce our public to examples of the very best painting by this great master and to put the two Atheneum shop works in context, the museum is presenting Rembrandt’s People, an exhibition that showcases Rembrandt’s portraits with works on loan from distinguished public and private collections in the United States and Canada. 

This exhibition aims to demonstrate Rembrandt’s talent as a figure painter can be seen in these portraits, ranging from real commissions to imaginary portraits, self-portraits, or depictions of his family and friends in Amsterdam. Rembrandt’s People will reveal the artist’s distinctive, insightful style, presenting human beings that connect in a direct way with the viewer.