The Sampling Officials of the Amsterdam Drapers’ Guild, Known as ‘The Syndics’

oil on canvas, 1662

After suffering financial difficulties in the 1650s, Rembrandt moved to a rental house on the Rozengracht. The Amsterdam élite no longer knocked on his door as often as they had done before. He nevertheless remained popular: this important guild commissioned him to paint a group portrait. Rembrandt produced a lively scene by having the wardens look up from their work as if interrupted by our arrival.

Artwork typepainting
Object numberSK-C-6
Dimensionsheight 191.5 cm x width 279 cm
Physical characteristicsolieverf op doek

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The Sampling Officials of the Amsterdam Drapers’ Guild, Known as ‘The Syndics’

Identification

Title(s)
- The syndics: the sampling officials (wardens) of the Amsterdam drapers
- The Sampling Officials of the Amsterdam Drapers’ Guild, Known as ‘The Syndics’
- The Sampling Officials of the Amsterdam Drapers’ Guild, known as ‘The Syndics’
Former title
The syndics: the sampling officials (wardens) of the Amsterdam drapers
Object type
Object number
SK-C-6
Inscriptions / marks
- signature and date (): ‘Rembrandt f. 1662’
- signature and date (false): ‘Rembrandt. f. 1661.’
Description
After suffering financial difficulties in the 1650s, Rembrandt moved to a rental house on the Rozengracht. The Amsterdam élite no longer knocked on his door as often as they had done before. He nevertheless remained popular: this important guild commissioned him to paint a group portrait. Rembrandt produced a lively scene by having the wardens look up from their work as if interrupted by our arrival.
Catalogue reference
J.G. van Gelder, 'De Staalmeesters', Openbaar Kunstbezit (1964), p. 11a/b.

Creation

Creation
painter: Rembrandt van Rijn
Dating
1662
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Material and technique

Physcial description
olieverf op doek
Material
Dimensions
height 191.5 cm x width 279 cm

This work is about

Person
Subject
Place

Acquisition and rights

Credit line
On loan from the City of Amsterdam
Ownership
Copyright
Public domain
Provenance
Commissioned by the sitters for the hall of the Drapers´ Guild (Staalhof), Staalstraat, Amsterdam; transferred to the 'Konstkamer' in the Town Hall, Amsterdam, 27 November 1771;{According to a label formerly on the reverse; see Van Eeghen 1957, p. 66.} on loan from the City of Amsterdam to the museum since 15 August 1808

Documentation

- J.G. van Gelder, 'De Staalmeesters', Openbaar Kunstbezit (1964), p. 11a/b.
- I.H. van Eeghen, "De Staalmeesters", Jaarboek Amstelodamum 1956, p. 65 - 80
- Inzoomer object op zaal, 2013 (Nederlands/English).
- B. Alsdorf, La fraternité des individus: les portraits de groupe de Degas, in: La revue de Musée d'Orsay nr. 30 (automne 2010) 48, 14, p. 25, fig. 9
- N. Middelkoop, 'Kruisbestuiving : Schutters- en regentenstukken in Haarlem en Amsterdam', Kunstschrift (2014) nr. 4, p. 34, afb. 34-35.
- Tim Zeedijk, ‘Why Carpets are Beautiful’, in Kneeling, 5 years of Making Carpets, Eindhoven (MU Artspace) 2014, afb. p. 10.
- R. Bergmans, Rembrandts kijk op De Staalmeesters, 2009-07- http://mathart.come2me.nl/1014134/REMBRANDT-Staalmeesters [artikel over het perspectief]
- The Rembrandt Database, Object information, Rembrandt, The sampling officials of the Amsterdam drapers guild, dated 1662, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, inv. no. SK-C-6, http://www.rembrandtdatabase.org/Rembrandt/painting/3046/the-sampling-officials-of-the-amsterdam-drapers-guild, accessed 2016 February 01
- Marleen Dominicus-Van Soest, 'Rembrandt in nieuw licht', Rijksmuseum Kunstkrant 19 (1993) nr. 3.