Extract uit het register van de inventarissen ter Desolate Boedelkamer, betreffende de boedelinventaris van Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn c. 19th century

This is an inventory document concerning Rembrandt van Rijn, made in Amsterdam, in 1656, by an anonymous maker. It is composed of paper, and iron gall ink. Paper at this time was made from pulped linen rags, a labor-intensive process. The surface here shows a slightly uneven texture, typical of handmade paper. The ink, made from tannin, iron salts and gum arabic, has a rich, dark brown tone that speaks to the period in which it was produced. Note the handwriting, carefully inscribed; this was a skilled practice that required rigorous training. Documents such as these were essential to the economic structures of 17th-century Holland, a culture undergoing rapid commercial expansion. The appearance of Rembrandt's name on this document speaks to the increasing professionalization of the art world, where an artist's assets came to be carefully tracked and assessed. Looking at this inventory, we are reminded of the importance of material, labor, and historical context in understanding the full picture of art history, beyond traditional notions of fine art.