Rembrandt’s Thumb
It’s Old Masters Week in New York. That means lots of parties at galleries around town. Otto Naumann, who specializes in European paintings from the 17th to 19th centuries, invited friends and associates to his gallery for a wine and pizza party, featuring some magic for his guests.
Yes, that portrait of a man with a beret is a real Rembrandt. Art dealer Jan Six XI, a direct descendant of Rembrandt’s famous sitter Jan Six I, explained that the thumb jauntily tucked into the man’s sash would have been quite an outrageous posture back in the day. The efficiency of Rembrandt is breath-taking. He could convey so much with a few brush strokes.
Portrait of a Man with Arms Akimbo
Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn (1658)
Art dealer Gerald Stiebel wrote up the party on his blog, and included a photo of U.S. Ambassador and Secretary of the Navy William Middendorf sketching me from the sofa while I performed.
