Rembrandt’s Bathsheba – A Study in Rawness and Refinement

In 2015, I visited the Late Rembrandt exhibition and saw Bathsheba in person for the first time. The painting left a deep impression on me. While I sometimes find Rembrandt’s style a bit rough or “chunky,” this particular work struck me with its sheer emotional weight. I was drawn to its rawness — the gritty, almost crumbling texture — and found a strange beauty in that sense of imperfection.

It inspired me to create a study, not just of the image itself but of the materials and methods used in Rembrandt’s time. I didn’t start with pre-prepared canvas from an art store. Instead, I began with raw linen, which I sized using traditional animal glue. The gesso ground was handmade according to a historical recipe, and even the varnish was crafted by hand — damar resin chunks dissolved in gum turpentine, just like it was done centuries ago.

This artisanal approach made the painting process intense, but deeply rewarding. The finished piece, painted in 2017, briefly hung at the framer’s shop — and was sold shortly after.