Rembrandt's weapons

[stekemest]

I have just scrolled through a bunch of Rembrandt paintings when I thought that it would be nice to collect images of all the oriental weapons that are depicted in his art.
Rembrandt was not only one of the greatest painters, but also a collector of ethnografica and weapons. I realized that first when I saw a keris on his early painting "The Blinding of Samson" in the Staedel Museum, Frankfurt. The weapons he painted have been part of his collection. You don't see keris too often on european paintings.

Below are some of the ethnographic arms I found, hope you're interested.

From the top:

"Samson Betrayed by Delilah", 1629/30
"Samson Threatens his Father-in-Law", 1635
"The Angel Stopping Abraham from Sacrificing Isaac to God", 1635
"The Blinding of Samson", 1636

Peter

[David]

Yep. Rembrandt apparently had more than one keris in his personal collection. Of course he never painted them in any proper context or being used in any kind of correct manner.

[Henk]

Peter,

That's true indeed.
Rembrandt collected ethnographica and weapons for his paintings. As a matter of fact my wife told me after she visited the Rembrandt house in Amsterdam that in the collection of Rembrandt was a keris present. I never visited this museum personally, so I can't tell if it was the original keris Rembrandt painted.

[ALEX]

Very interesting indeed! Nice research, thanks Peter.
Yes, amazing to see oriental weapons in european paintings, and also amazing to see the keris' form has not changed from 17th to 19th century. The same is true for other oriental weapons, shamshir for example was used for centuries in different continents.
But the question I had was: Keris is Asian weapon, isn't it? All these stories happened in the Middle East areas (Judea and Greece). Why Rembrandt depicted Keris, and not Jambiya-like daggers? I am not arguing with Rembrandt choice of weapons:-), but what am I missing?

[Lew]

Rembrandt was Dutch and they had a large presence in Indonesia in the 1600s so I am pretty sure that is where the artist aquired his weapons from.

Lew

[asomotif]

All these stories happened in the Middle East areas

Non of his paintings are based on reality, but on what people in 17th century Western Europe wanted it to look like.
Clothing is western , armour is definately not what they would have worn in the Middle east around year zero.
And Jezus never looks like a typical Jew in these paintings.

[stekemest]

In those days it was not common to paint the people how they may have looked in their time, but to use the fashion of the painter's own background. Often, though, "oriental" people were shown with what the painter thought to look like "oriental" clothing/weapons, even back in the late middle ages. So maybe he chose a keris because he thought it would look "oriental" to western viewers or to emphasize the brutality of the scene by choosing this exotic, serrated weapon.

Rembrandt had a great interest in collecting pieces from all over the world, which had certainly to do with the "Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie" that began to build a trade empire in East Asia. Unfortunately, he had to sell most of his pieces after the downturn of his fortunes.

Peter

[Henk]

I think Lew came most in the neighbourhood with his explanation.

Rembrandt was often found in the harbour where the ships came with the crew from far journeys. Especially the VOC from Indonesia. It was from those sailors Rembrandt collected his items.

And those items Rembrandt used in his paintings. So it has nothing to do with his imagination. On the other hand we can say it has everything to do with his imagination.

[Jim McDougall]

Outstanding topic!!! and great observations.
I have always been fascinated by Rembrandt's paintings, particularly the presence of weapons used that were completely out of context historically, as described here. Also, one of my favorites, the so called 'Polish Rider' and the presumably correct weapons which were likely used by the horsemen of the 'cossack' units presumed being portrayed in this work.

Rembrandt began painting in what was known as historical painting, so the theme of his works were often Biblical or mythological subjects, but as with most artists, he imbued his work with his own perspective and used metaphor, symbolism and allegory. In "The Biblical Rembrandt" (John.I.Durham, p.76), the author notes that Rembrandt considered the Bible, or his interpretations of it extremely personal and identified with its stories in many ways, and in this sense, I would suggest may have imbued much of himself into these Biblical stories he painted.

It would seem that his deep interest in collectible items and curios was likely heightened by the fact that he was established as a portrait artist, and patronized by presumably well to do clients, many of whom were probably merchants. These merchants undoubtedly had access to a variety of exotic items from the East Indies, including weaponry, and it would not be surprising that some of these might have been gifts to Rembrandt, or been included in payment possibly. With the consideration that he considered these exotic weapons an element in degree of his own personality, perhaps this might have been a reason for using them in such incongruent context. Certainly the idea that their formidable appearance, such as the wavy bladed keris, might have been meant to elicit fearsome intent as well.

There is an even more remote thought concerning the wavy blade of the keris as applied to Biblical metaphor in Rembrant's painting. Recently there have been discussions of the 'flammard', or wavy bladed sword, as seen on some early rapier blades, as well as a number of edged weapons, and thier allusion to the Biblical account of the sword guarding the gates of Paradise.
While this may be considered with respect to the keris in Rembrandt's art, the same perspective would not apply to the polearm which appears to be Sinhalese, nor the swordlike weapon falling out of the hand, which seems to be a polearm head used as a sword without the shaft.

Although classical art, such as Rembrandt's discussed here, can lead to obvious issues in weapons study in many cases, it is interesting that in portraiture, where metaphor and allegory are not typically involved, the weapons shown are often quite accurate. The key example of this that comes to mind is "The Smallsword and Rapier 1460-1821" by the late A.V.B. Norman, which is a brilliant work using period artwork and portraits to establish hilt and pommel typology on these weapons.

Returning to Rembrandt, the art historian Gary Schwartz remarked that a weapons and tool expert with whom he had studied the weapons shown in 'the Night Watch' was a bit 'contemptuous' of Rembrandt's offhand way with weapons, as some of these were apparantly of earlier periods.

It would seem that this would suggest that weapons that appeared impressive were perfectly acceptable as long as they carried the theme.
In this case the men were essentially a semi military social club at the time, engaged in firing of guns and other associated activities for show, and likely may have had heirloom weapons at thier disposal. It is noted that some items in that painting may have been 16th century.

All best regards,
Jim



PS crossed posts, and just noticed Henk's and Lews previous note on the East Indies commerce and ships coming in returning from there. I also saw one reference that noted some of Rembrandt's critics grumbled about his associating and hanging around with 'low people'....I would imagine this would include trips to the docks....and sailors there with curio's and weapons.

[Marcokeris]

Great pictures
Very interesting and...more more detailed than Jensen's nice Kerisdisk
Thanks!!

[Royston]

I visited rembrandts house a few years ago, and yes in one room there were a lot of props that he used, including some weapons. Unfortunately I did not have a camera with me at the time.
There is a virtual tour of the house at Rembrantshuis.NL
I cannot get the room pictures to open. Perhaps someone else can. I seem to remember the collection being in the large studio. It would be amazing to find that same Keris still there !

Regards
Royston

[asomotif]

Yep, I was able to make the virtual tour. zooming in capacity is very poor and the image quality is also quite poor. It is meant just to give an impression of the house.

I found some weapons in the 'Kunstcaemer'.
2 Keris, but not with a walikat scabbard as on the pictures
2 weapons from Afrika / Congo and also
3 Salawaku's (shields from Moluccas)

Wow ! I would like to get a close look on those salawaku's.
They must be really old.