'Rembrandt' in Mexico
February 25 2022
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Here's an interesting story. The Museo Nacional De Arte MUNAL in Mexico City have just opened a small exhibition partly dedicated to the following Rembrandt. The picture, which is said to depict Hendrickje Stoffels as Pallas Athene, has been loaned from a private European Collection. It of course shows a correspondence with the Pallas Athene now in the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon (formerly in the collection of Catherine the Great of Russia, as it happens).
Alas, I can't find out much about the picture and its history from a casual search of the RKD etc. However, the work was recently exhibited in Augsburg in a show called (from the German translation) Rembrandt: The Teacher, where the work was described as "recently attributed to him." If any readers might have a reference for the picture, I'd be glad to hear of it.
Update - A few readers have kindly been in touch to share details of the catalogue notes from the Augsburg and Aalen exhibitions. It seems the picture was noted in Werner Sumowski's publications on Rembrandt and his school. The catalogue notes also suggest that the picture might well be the Pallas Athene recorded in 1678 inventory of Rembrandt's creditor Herman Becker. Details about the condition of the picture are also revealed, including the fact that the painting seems to have significantly cut down on all sides. Do find yourself a copy of the exhibition catalogues if you'd like to read more.
