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Article: THE MASTERS OF REPRISE; At the National Gallery of Art, Geniuses and the Works They Emulated
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- March 12, 1995
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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When Rembrandt went broke in 1656, the authorities prepared a list
of his salable possessions. The document survives, and it shows us
that themaster liked his creature comforts: His Spanish chairs
were softened by seats of Russian leather, his glassware was
Venetian, his porcelain Chinese. An insatiable collector, he'd
painstakingly assembled the most wondrous curiosities -- 20 marble
busts of the emperors of Rome, a Turkish bow, two lion skins, a
bamboo fife, armor from Japan. No wonder he went bust. And his ample
house was further stuffed with others' works of art.
He owned two paintings by Raphael, another by van Eyck, and of
course a slew of Rembrandts. He owned thick volumes of ...