"An Old Man in Military Costume"

Paper Summary:

This paper analyzes Rembrandt van Rijn's 1630 portrait entitled "An Old Man in Military Costume." The paper describes the painting and also describes how the representation of the individual painted differs from other paintings of the same person. The paper then describes how the painting could influence the creation of a film on the Dutch struggle for independence combined with a biography of Rembrandt's life.

From the Paper:

"This might be one way to render the form, the visual structure, and the meaning of the work into a film. One could begin a film, for example, on the Dutch struggle for independence combined with a biography of Rembrandt's life by opening up with a shot of a perched ostrich plume, as the credits rolled by. The film camera, after the credits had finished would pan down to show the face of the old man. Suddenly, the man would come alive. As the film transformed the image of the painting into the face of an actor portraying the living subject, sitting for Rembrandt's portrait in a studio, gradually the soundtrack would start to roar with the sounds of soldiers marching in battle. The camera, still focused on the living poser for his portrait would show the face of the man suddenly become young again."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Old Man in a Military Costume." The Getty Museum Guide. 13 Mar 2006. <http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artObjectDetails?artobj=787>
• "Rembrandt van Rijn." The Getty Museum Guide. 13 Mar 2006. < http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artMakerDetails?maker=473>

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