Copyright by Laura Mareike Sager 2006 - The University of Texas at ...

Rembrandt’s death, “has provoked countless reflections on the artist’s
approaching death that could supposedly be read in his features” (ibid. 229). For
example, Simon Schama describes his face as “a ruthlessly detailed map of time’s
attrition” and sees in this picture a “process of dismantling his ego” (680).
Similarly, his acknowledgement of a “lively contrast between resignation and
resolution” and “an affirmation with his last breath of the audacity and confidence
in his hand” (ibid.), represents a romanticized view of the unsung genius.
But despite the obvious signs of aging and the unelaborated state of the
painting (which was not unusual for Rembrandt), the painting does not exude
decrepitude or exhaustion. On the contrary, his hair, for example, is longer and
fuller looking than in most of the other paintings from his last years. Moreover,
Rembrandt continued to make changes and adjustments to this self portrait, still
shaping and readjusting his image. This painting is thus not a self-exploration of
his own decrepitude, but again a conscious shaping of Rembrandt’s public image.
Rembrandt as Painter of the Word
Among Rembrandt’s many self portraits, one is particularly striking: The
Self Portrait as Apostle Paul (1661, Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum). In portraying
himself as the Apostle Paul, Rembrandt assumed for the first time the role of a
well-known historical figure. Although his own features are clearly marked and
recognizable, his two attributes clearly identify him as Paul: the “sword of the
Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Chapman 126), which also alludes to his
martyrdom, and the half unrolled manuscript which he is holding. Moreover, he is
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