Press Release
The National Gallery Masterpiece Tour
Rembrandt’s Self Portrait at the Age of 63
Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal
19 March - 15 May 2016
Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal, has been announced as one of only three UK host venues for
Rembrandt’s Self Portrait at the Age of 63. This much-loved work from the National Gallery
Collection is going on tour from January to July 2016 as the final painting in the three-year
Masterpiece Tour.
Jonathan Jones, critic, says of the painting:
‘This is not like looking at a painting. It is like meeting Rembrandt. You have no idea what to say to
him, and fear what he is about to say to you.’
In this revealing and thought provoking self-portrait, Rembrandt, born Rembrandt Harmenszoon van
Rijn in 1606, wears a deep red coat and a beret, his hands clasped before him he confronts the
viewer with his steady gaze. Self Portrait at the Age of 63 was painted in the final year of
Rembrandt's life and is one of his last pictures before his death on 4 October 1669. Rembrandt
painted more self portraits than any other artist of the 17th century, and those executed in his final
years, in which he presents himself in a reflective mood, are among the most poignant and
challenging.
When the painting was cleaned in 1967, the conservators revealed the damaged signature and
date. The X-ray of the picture reveals two alterations to the design. First, a change in the size and
colour of the beret, which was originally much larger and all white. Secondly, the original position of
the hands was open and the artist was holding a paintbrush. Repainting the hands clasped and
without the brush reduces their dramatic impact and draws the viewer’s attention back to the face –
portraying Rembrandt as a man rather than an artist.
Helen Watson, Director of Exhibitions and Collection, Lakeland Arts, says:
‘Abbot Hall Art Gallery is thrilled to have been selected to take part in the National Gallery
Masterpiece Tour for 2016. We are excited about bringing one of the greatest works of art in the UK
to Kendal. Visitors will have a unique opportunity to spend time with this magnificent painting, study
it in detail and learn about Rembrandt and his self-portraits. The loan of this work continues Abbot
Hall’s reputation for bringing major works of art to Cumbria and the North West.’
Rembrandt Press Release, January 2016
Showing in an adjacent gallery to Rembrandt’s Self Portrait at the Age of 63 will be a remarkable
sequence of portraits, including The Great Picture, from Abbot Hall’s own collection depicting the
aging face of celebrated local legend Lady Anne Clifford; born in 1590 her remarkable life
overlapped with that of Rembrandt. Four paintings show Lady Anne at various stages of her life,
from the opulent lady in her mid-20s in Jacobean dress through to the somberly-attired old woman
of 80, whose careworn face echoes that of Rembrandt in his late masterpiece. Lady Anne died in
1676 aged 86 at Brougham Castle, in the room in which her father had been born and her mother
had died.
Anne-Marie Quinn, Learning and Engagement Officer, Abbot Hall says:
‘We have designed a programme of talks and activities to encourage all our visitors to spend time
with Rembrandt and Lady Anne and really get to know them. They are remarkable characters in
their own right and both have used portraiture in very different ways to describe moments
throughout their lives. Lady Anne's portraits create a narrative about her status and power, while
Rembrandt's self portrait is the intense almost spiritual scrutiny of an older man, reflecting on his
image, and reflecting perhaps on his whole life. Together, these paintings will be an opportunity to
explore the power of portraits to reveal so much.’
-ENDS-
Rembrandt Press Release, January 2016
Press Images
High resolution copies of the following images are available to download on Dropbox:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6xbjee8z132qllp/AAC97EwQPFwLnCMrKv-eyIWha?dl=0
All images are available at 300 dpi and approx. 15cm along the longest edge. Please contact us if
you require a larger image.
Rembrandt
Self Portrait at the Age
of 63
© The National Gallery,
London
Rembrandt
Self Portrait at the Age
of 63
© The National Gallery,
London
Lady Anne Clifford
(1590–1670)
1670
by John Bracken
© Abbot Hall Art Gallery
Lady Anne Clifford
(1590–1670)
attributed to John
Bracken
© Abbot Hall Art Gallery
The Great Picture,
attributed to Jan van
Belcamp
© Abbot Hall Art Gallery
Rembrandt Press Release, January 2016
Editors Notes
The Masterpiece Tour is part of the National Gallery’s commitment to promote the understanding,
knowledge and appreciation of Old Master paintings to as wide an audience as possible. This
opportunity to bring hugely popular National Gallery paintings to the public’s doorstep is being made
possible by the generous support of Christie’s. Rembrandt’s Self Portrait at the Age of 63, is going
on tour in January 2016. The three UK host venues for 2016 are:
Ulster Museum, Belfast
15 January – 13 March 2016
The Ulster Museum, part of National Museums Northern Ireland and one of Northern Ireland’s
leading visitor attractions, is the largest museum in Northern Ireland with extensive collections from
art, history and natural sciences. Located in Belfast’s Botanic Gardens, the Ulster Museum reopened in 2009 following a major renovation and won the coveted UK Art Fund prize in 2010. It is
renowned for its extensive collection of Irish art and recently completed a major renovation of its
Modern History gallery. More at www.nmni.com
Abbot Hall, Kendal
19 March – 15 May 2016
Bristol Museum & Art Gallery
21 May – 17 July 2016
Discover Bristol’s world-class collections, from dinosaurs and gems to magnificent fine art and
Egyptian artefacts. Step inside the grand Edwardian Baroque building to explore twenty galleries
that tell the story of our world from the beginning of time to the present day. Entry to the museum is
free. More at www.bristolmuseums.org.uk
The National Gallery is one of the greatest art galleries in the world. Founded by Parliament in
1824, the Gallery houses the nation’s collection of Western European paintings from the late 13th to
the early 20th century. The collection includes works by Bellini, Cézanne, Degas, Leonardo da
Vinci, Monet, Raphael, Rembrandt, Renoir, Rubens, Titian, Turner, Van Dyck, Van Gogh and
Velázquez. The Gallery’s key objectives are to enhance the collection, care for the collection and
provide the best possible access to visitors. More at www.nationalgallery.org.uk
Christie’s, the world's leading art business, is a name and place that speaks of extraordinary art,
unparalleled service and expertise, as well as international glamour. Founded in 1766 by James
Christie, Christie's has since conducted the greatest and most celebrated auctions through the
centuries providing a popular showcase for the unique and the beautiful. Christie’s has worked
closely with museums and public art institutions throughout its history and continues to support
initiatives which increase public access to works of art. Other major initiatives in the United Kingdom
in 2013 include The Arts Council Collection Partnerships supported by Christie’s, sponsorship of
Houghton Revisited: Masterpieces from the Hermitage and ongoing work as national sponsor of
The Public Catalogue Foundation. More at www.christies.com
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn 1606–1669 was born in Leiden, in the Dutch Republic, now
the Netherlands. He is generally considered one of the greatest painters and printmakers in
European art and the most important in Dutch history. His contributions to art came in a period of
great wealth and cultural achievement that historians call the Dutch Golden Age when Dutch
Rembrandt Press Release, January 2016
Golden Age painting, although in many ways antithetical to the Baroque style that dominated
Europe, was extremely prolific and innovative, and gave rise to important new genres in painting.
Lady Anne Clifford, 1590-1676
The Great Picture is a remarkable triptych, a three-sectioned format typically reserved for religious
works. It was commissioned by Lady Anne Clifford in 1646 to mark her final succession to the
inheritance that she had always felt was rightfully hers.
Lady Anne was born in 1590, the daughter of Margaret Russell and George Clifford, third Earl of
Cumberland. The Earl, a favourite at the court of Queen Elizabeth I, died in 1605 when Lady Anne
was fifteen years old. He left all of the Clifford estates not to Lady Anne, his only surviving heir, but
to his brother Francis, who became fourth Earl of Cumberland. Though Lady Anne and her mother
petitioned for the return of the Clifford lands for decades, it was not until the death of her uncle in
1641, followed two years later by his son Henry, who left no male heirs, that Lady Anne finally
inherited estates in Westmorland and Yorkshire.
Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 5AL
www.abbothall.org.uk
Open Monday - Saturday, 10.30am - 5pm (4pm November - February)
Adult admission £7 (without donation £6.35), free entry for students and children
Abbot Hall Art Gallery, along with Museum of Lakeland Life & Industry, Blackwell, The Arts & Crafts
House and Windermere Jetty are managed by Lakeland Arts. (Registered charity no. 1153001).
Lakeland Arts Press Office
Press visits, images and interviews contact:
Jeanette Edgar - jedgar@lakelandarts.org.uk
Chris Greenbank - cgreenbank@lakelandarts.org.uk
Telephone - 015394 46191
Rembrandt Press Release, January 2016