For the first time since 2019, Self-portrait with Two Circles by Rembrandt (c1665) has left Kenwood for loan to a major new exhibition at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. Rembrandt and Hoogstraten: Colour and Illusion is the the first time the Kunsthistorisches Museum (colloquially known as the KHM) has staged an exhibition focusing on the work of the greatest of all 17th century Dutch masters, Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669). The show, which opens on October 8 and runs until January 12, 2025, examines how the powerful art of Rembrandt left a lasting impression on one of his most gifted pupils Samuel van Hoogstraten (1627-1678).
Exploring the fascinating interplay between the master and his student, the exhibition focuses on the remarkable effects of colour and mind-boggling illusionistic techniques with which Rembrandt and Hoogstraten captivated audiences then and now. With loans from the National Gallery, London, the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Louvre, Paris and Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Kenwood’s Self-Portrait with Two Circles is in good company. Louise Cooling explains the difficult decision to loan the Kenwood House Rembrandt (Image: English Heritage) Even among Kenwood’s embarrassment of riches, Self-portrait with Two Circles ranks as one of, if not the greatest, masterpiece in the collection.
So, the decision to lend is never taken lightly. The innovative approach to examining Rembrandt’s work, the scholarly ambition and creativity of the exhibiti.