Rembrandt’s First Masterpiece / Heidi Hass, The Morgan Library and Museum

The Morgan Library & Museum is pleased to announce the publication of Rembrandt’s First Masterpiece, by Per Rumberg with Holm Bevers.

Rembrandt’s Judas Returning the Thirty Pieces of Silver has long been recognized as the artist’s first mature work – his first masterpiece. Completed when he was only 23 years old, the painting demonstrates the characteristics that would make Rembrandt famous, particularly his exceptional ability to convey emotional drama. It is also one of his only works for which multiple preparatory drawings survive, allowing us to trace the evolution of the composition. In reuniting the painting and the drawings for the first time since their creation, this publication presents an unprecedented opportunity to glimpse over Rembrandt’s shoulder to witness the development of his first major work.

Rembrandt was a notably self-conscious artist and the years during which he forged the distinctive style of Judas also saw the beginning of his remarkable series of self-portraits. A selection of etchings and drawings of scenes from the life of Christ are included here and illustrate the development of the narrative style that the artist unveiled with his first masterpiece.

Published by The Morgan Library & Museum, New York

Softcover
8 x 10 inches, 88 pages
54 color illustrations
$24.95
ISBN: 978-0-87598-176-5 99
June 2016

To order, please call the Morgan Shop at 212-590-0390. 10% discount for ARLIS members.