Mysterious painting in the shadow of a masterpiece

This week, the National Gallery in London will exhibit a newly restored portrait by the Dutch master Rembrandt. Interestingly, beneath the layers of paint, people also found another portrait, which Rembrandt had removed.

It took conservators three and a half years to restore Portrait Of Frederick Rihel On Horseback.

Portrait Of Frederick Rihel On Horseback, Rembrandt's finished portrait, restored by conservators after three and a half years

Reproduction of removed work

This is a large oil painting depicting an Amsterdam nobleman and his horse. Rembrandt painted it in the early 1660s, near the end of his turbulent life.

Interestingly, underneath this portrait, experts have found another equally impressive painting. X-rays taken in 2008 showed that before painting Portrait Of Frederick Rihel On Horseback, Rembrant painted another detailed portrait in the right corner of the canvas.

During the restoration process, scientists and art historians have tried to understand and piece together the painting that Rembrandt had discarded. As a result, for the first time the public will have the opportunity to admire the mysterious painting, recreated almost exactly according to Rembrandt's original drawing, thanks to the application of extremely modern restoration techniques.

The mysterious man

It is known that Rembrandt had a habit of reusing canvases when creating works. However, the mysterious painting still gives art historians a headache. "We cannot explain for sure why Rembrandt discarded the first portrait. It is possible that he was influenced by another painting or that the patron suggested the change," said Larry Keith, head of conservation at the National Gallery in London.

Portrait underneath Rembrandt's masterpiece

Now, experts are trying to figure out who the man in the discarded drawing is. Is this an early drawing of Frederick Rihel, a wealthy merchant who is the subject of the painting? “The head is quite similar, but it’s not finished, so it’s hard to say for sure,” said Larry Keith.

The mysterious man in the painting also has a long mustache and beard, similar to the Rihel portrait. He holds what appears to be a staff in his right hand, and he is also wearing a riding crop, consisting of a long cloak and breeches.

Portrait Of Frederick Rihel On Horseback is Rembrandt's only known equestrian painting. It has been owned by the National Gallery in London since 1960.

Noticing that the layers of oil paint and the image in the painting were fading, the National Gallery of London decided to restore the painting. They also took this opportunity to find answers to the mysterious portrait hidden under the layers of paint.

Surprisingly, Rembrandt did not create a background layer between the two portraits, making it impossible for researchers to clearly determine the color of the mysterious painting.

Rembrandt's tragic life

Rembrandt is considered one of the most influential and innovative artists of the Dutch Golden Age. He not only painted but also created artistic prints.

From a young age, Rembrandt was artistically successful, critically acclaimed, and made a lot of money. However, by the time he created the oil painting Portrait Of Frederick Rihel On Horseback, he had already suffered many personal tragedies. Specifically, Rembrandt had lost his wife and three children. In the following years, his life continued to be filled with bitter lawsuits with his lover.

Towards the end of his life, he was forced to declare bankruptcy. His dire circumstances may have been the reason why he had to reuse canvases for the portrait Portrait Of Frederick Rihel On Horseback.

According to TT&VH