Keris and Rembrandt

[Gustav]

Originally Posted by Laowang

I would hesitate from imputing too much symbolism to the choice of the keris, outside of its contribution to 'oriental' splendor. The interpretation in the KrisDisk is uncharacteristic of Rembrandt and his social milieu.

At this time, Holland was newly independent and prosperous, and art was a commodity hotly collected by wealthy merchants. Paintings were commodities produced for the market; the overall atmosphere of a piece like this would have contributed to its value as such. Still lifes from the period often have animals, flowers, or fruit from outside of Europe. Unlike paintings of Old Testament subjects from earlier periods in European art history, paintings in this period were being produced for wealthy secular clients, not the church.

Also, if the kris were viewed as a satanic emblem, it is unlikely Rembrandt would have held one in his self-portrait as an Oriental potentate.

Of course the view of Jensen regarding keris in both paintings is a speculative one. It is a try to understand why this exotic weapon is appearing in the paintings whose subject is the story of Samson.

There is no statements of Rembrandt himself regarding depictions of keris in his paintings, so it can stay only a speculation, a speculative opinion.

It is important to understand, that the opposite opinion - this exotic weapon is merely a decoration without any background- is a speculation or a speculative opinion at least at the same degree, and even more: this is a very contemporary speculation in it's character, possible in this way only since the raise of modern, pluralistic society, in whose eyes the older european culture is slowely becoming the same exoticism as some South-East Asian culture: merely a decoration.

It is absolutely wright to draw parallels between the appearing of still life paintings and rising bourgeoise society in Europa. But exactly the still life paintings from 17. century are the richest displays of allegory - which was really an art and science per se - most of them having "Vanitas" as the main subject. Indeed, the 17. cent. was the golden age of Allegory, both in catholical and non-catholical European countries.

To see the objects merely as decoration in still life and other paintings is a way to see things, which have nothing to do with european culture before 19. cent.

Regarding the self portraits of Rembrandt (more than 90), some of them belong to the most sarcastical and self-ironical visual statements from this age.