A painting titled “Vision of Zechariah in the Temple” (1633) has been identified by specialists at the Rijksmuseum as an authentic work by Rembrandt van Rijn, the Dutch national museum announced today.
In a statement about the artwork, which disappeared from public view in 1961 after being removed from Rembrandt’s catalogue and acquired by a private collector, the museum said it used the same analytical techniques currently applied in “Operation Night Watch” — the large-scale research project dedicated to The Night Watch — and conducted close comparisons with other works from the same period.
“Material analysis, stylistic and thematic similarities, changes made by Rembrandt and the overall quality of the painting support the conclusion that this is a genuine work by Rembrandt van Rijn,” the museum said, adding that the painting will go on display from Wednesday.
Quoted in the statement, Rijksmuseum director Taco Dibbits said it was “wonderful that the public can learn more about the young Rembrandt,” who created the painting shortly after moving from Leiden to Amsterdam.
According to the museum, the painting depicts the biblical story of the priest Zechariah, who is visited in the temple by the archangel Gabriel and told that, despite his old age, he and his wife will have a son, John the Baptist.
The artwork returned to the Rijksmuseum’s attention after its current owner made contact with the institution.
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn was born in 1606 in Leiden, in the Netherlands, and died in 1669 in Amsterdam, where he had moved early in life. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest storytellers in the history of art.
