Since the second half of the last century art historians, realizing that the image of Rembrandt's work had become blurred with time, have attempted to redefine the artist's significance both as a source of inspiration to other artists and as a great artist in his own right. In order to carry on the work started by previous generations, a group of leading Dutch art historians from the university and museum world joined forces in the late 1960s in order to study afresh the paintings usually ascribed to the artist. The researchers came together in the Rembrandt Research Project which was established to provide the art world with a new standard reference work which would serve the community of art historians for the nearby and long future.

They examined the originals of all works attributed to Rembrandt taking full advantage of today's sophisticated techniques including radiography, neutron activation autoradiography, dendrochronology and paint sample analysis - thereby gaining valuable insight into the genesis and condition of the paintings.

The result of this meticulous research is laid down chronologically in the following Volumes:

THIS VOLUME: A Corpus of Rembrandt Paintings, Volume I, which deals with works from Rembrandt's early years in Leiden(1629-1631), published in 1982.

A Corpus of Rembrandt Paintings, Volume II, covering his first years in Amsterdam (1631-1634), published in 1986.

A Corpus of Rembrandt Paintings, Volume III, goes into his later years of reputation (1635-1642), published in 1990.

Each Volume consists of a number of Introductory Chapters as well as the full Catalogue of all paintings from the given time period attributed to Rembrandt. In this catalogue each painting is discussed and examined in a detailed way, comprising a descriptive, an interpretative and a documentary section. For the authenticity evaluation of the paintings three different categories are used to divide the works in:

A. Paintings by Rembrandt, B. Paintings of which Rembrandt's authorship cannot be positively either accepted or rejected, and C. Paintings of which Rembrandt's authorship cannot be accepted.

This volume (Volume I) contains 730 pages, starting of with four introductory chapters and discussing 93 paintings. In clear and accessible explanatory text all different paintings are discussed, larded with immaculate images of each painting. Details are shown where possible, as well as the results of modern day technical imaging. In this volume the first ever works by Rembrandt are discussed, also using his etchings as comparison.

Inhalt

I The Stylistic Development.- II Painting Materials and Working Methods.- III The Documentary Value of Early Graphic Reproductions.- IV A Descriptive Survey of the Signatures.- Biographical Information.- Catalogue.- Paintings by Rembrandt.- A1 The stoning of S. Stephen, 1625. Lyon, Musée des Beaux-Arts.- A2 Balaam and the ass, 1626. Paris, Musée Cognacq-Jay.- A3 Tobit and Anna with the kid, 1626. Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum.- A4 Christ driving the moneychangers from the Temple, 1626. Moscow, Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts.- A5 The baptism of the eunuch, 1626. Utrecht, Rijksmuseum Het Catharijneconvent.- A6 History painting (subject unidentified), 1626. Leiden, Stedelijk Museum de Lakenhal.- A7 Musical allegory, 1626. Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum.- A8 Bust of a man in a gorget and cap, [1626/1627]. Whereabouts unknown.- A9 David with the head of Goliath before Saul, 1627. Basle, Oeffentliche Kunstsammlung Basel.- A10 The rich man from the parable, 1627. Berlin (West), Staatliche Museen Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Gemäldegalerie.- A11 S. Paul in prison, 1627. Stuttgart, Staatsgalerie.- A12 Simeon in the Temple, [1627/1628]. Hamburg, Hamburger Kunsthalle.- A13 Two old men disputing, probably S. Peter and S. Paul, [1628]. Melbourne, National Gallery of Victoria.- A14 Self-portrait, [1628]. Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum.- A15 Judas, repentant, returning the pieces of silver, 1629. England, private collection.- A16 The supper at Emmaus, [1629]. Paris, Musée Jacquemart-André.- A17 An old man asleep by the fire, perhaps typifying Sloth, 1629. Turin, Galleria Sabauda.- A18 The artist in his studio, [1629]. Boston, Mass., Museum of Fine Arts.- A19 Self-portrait, 1629. Munich, Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, Alte Pinakothek.- A20 Self-portrait, 1629. Boston, Mass., The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.- A21 Self-portrait, [1629]. The Hague, Koninklijk Kabinet van Schilderijen, Mauritshuis.- A22 Self-portrait in a cap, with the mouth open, [1629]. Japan, MOA Museum.- A23 Bust of a young man, [1629]. Cleveland, Ohio, The Cleveland Museum of Art.- A24 Samson betrayed by Delilah, [1629/1630]. Berlin (West), Staatliche Museen Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Gemäldegalerie.- A25 David playing the harp to Saul, [1629/1630]. Frankfurt am Main, Städelsches Kunstinstitut.- A26 S. Paul at his writing-desk, [1629/1630]. Nuremberg, Germanisches Nationalmuseum.- A27 An old woman at prayer (commonly called Rembrandt's mother), [1629/1630]. Salzburg, Salzburger Landessammlungen-Residenzgalerie.- A28 Jeremiah lamenting the destruction of Jerusalem, 1630. Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum.- A29 Bust of an old man in a fur cap (commonly called Rembrandt's father), 1630. Innsbruck, Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum.- A30 The raising of Lazarus, [1630/1631]. Los Angeles, Cal., Los Angeles County Museum of Art.- A31 Andromeda, [1630/1631]. The Hague, Koninklijk Kabinet van Schilderijen, Mauritshuis.- A32 Bust of an old woman (commonly called Rembrandt's mother), [1630/1631]. Windsor Castle, H. M. Queen Elizabeth II.- A33 Self-portrait, [1630/1631]. Liverpool, Walker Art Gallery.- A34 Simeon in the Temple, 1631. The Hague, Koninklijk Kabinet van Schilderijen, Mauritshuis.- A35 Christ on the cross, 1631. Le Mas d'Agenais, Lot et Garonne, parish church.- A36 S. Peter in prison, [1631]. Belgium, private collection.- A37 An old woman reading, probably the prophetess Anna (commonly called Rembrandt's mother), 1631. Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum.- A38 Minerva in her study, [1631]. Berlin (West), Staatliche Museen Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Gemäldegalerie.- A39 The abduction of Proserpina, [1631]. Berlin (West), Staatliche Museen Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Gemäldegalerie.- A40 The artist in oriental costume, with a poodle at his feet, 1631. Paris, Musée du Petit Palais.- A41 Bust of a young man in a plumed cap, 1631. Toledo, Ohio, The Toledo Museum of Art.- A42 Half-length figure of an old man in a gorget and black cap, [1631]. Chicago, I11., The Art Institute of Chicago.- Paintings Rembrandt's authorship of which cannot be positively either accepted or rejected.- B1 Three singers (Hearing). The Hague, Cramer Gallery.- B2 The operation (Touch). The Hague, Cramer Gallery.- B3 The spectacles-pedlar (Sight). S. Peter Port, Guernsey, coll. D. H. Cevat.- B4 A man in a gorget and plumed cap. Malibu, Cal., J. Paul Getty Museum.- B5 The artist in a cap and pleated shirt. Stockholm, Nationalmuseum.- B6 Bust of a laughing man in a gorget. The Hague, Koninklijk Kabinet van Schilderijen, Mauritshuis.- B7 Bust of an old man in a cap (commonly called Rembrandt's father). The Hague, Koninklijk Kabinet van Schilderijen, Mauritshuis.- Paintings Rembrandt' s authorship of which cannot be accepted.- C1 Samson betrayed by Delilah. Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum.- C2 Esther's feast. Raleigh, N. C., The North Carolina Museum of Art.- C3 Tobit and Anna. London, The National Gallery.- C4 Tobit at his son's return. New York, N.Y., coll. J. William Middendorf II.- C5 The flight into Egypt. Tours, Musée des Beaux-Arts.- C6 The rest on the flight into Egypt. Formerly Ludlow, Downton Castle, coll. D. Lennox.- C7 The tribute money. Ottawa, The National Gallery of Canada.- C8 Christ at the column. Belgium, private collection.- C9 Minerva in her study. Denver, Col., The Denver Art Museum.- C10 A biblical or historical nocturnal scene (fragment). Tokyo, Bridgestone Museum of Art.- C11 The …