Rembrandt exhibition comes to Hawke's Bay

Hawke’s Bay residents and visitors to the region have a unique opportunity next month to view the work of one of the greatest Dutch artists ever – Rembrandt.

Rembrandt Remastered, at the CAN (Creative Arts Napier) from 4-28 March, is a collection of more than 50 reproductions of the 17^th century Dutch master’s works. The difference with these images is that thanks to technology, the works have been restored to their original condition – to reflect how they looked when they left Rembrandt’s studio.

The images, which have been reproduced to the same size as the originals, include self-portraits, Biblical scenes and glimpses into 17^th century Netherlands life. A highlight will be The Night Watch, which is five metres wide and four metres high. The original was later cut to fit a new location.

Rembrandt Remastered is being hosted by the Rotary Club of Napier, as a fundraising project for local charities such as Cranford Hospice and the Salvation Army Container Housing Project. The exhibition’s major sponsor is The Gas Hub. “We are proud to team up with Rotary to bring this exhibition to the people of Hawke’s Bay, providing the opportunity to view this incredible collection while also supporting local charities,” says Shayne Venn, Gas Hub Residential Manager.


Photo courtesy of Napier City Council

These reproductions provide a very accessible way to appreciate Rembrandt’s work, as no gallery overseas offers so many of his works in one place, says Tony Franklin-Ross, Rotary’s project manager for the Napier exhibition. “This exhibition is successfully touring New Zealand, each location so far attracting more than 5000 visitors each. Bringing Rembrandt Remastered to Hawke’s Bay provides schools, artists and the wider community a wonderful opportunity to view some of the world’s greatest artworks.”

The exhibition is the outcome of decades of intensive research by the world’s leading Art History academics, under the umbrella of the Rembrandt Research Project.

Launched in 1968 with the aim of identifying the painter’s complete works, under the leadership of Ernst van de Wetering it has been established that 330 paintings still exist, in 18-plus countries. The 43 paintings left in Rembrandt’s homeland are in 8 different galleries in 5 cities, while 52 are inaccessible to the public, because they are in private collections, have been stolen, or are missing.

The CAN, at 16 Byron St, Napier, is open Mondays to Saturdays 10am to 4pm, and Sundays 10am to 2pm. Entry for this exhibition is $10, and $5 for under 13s.

For more info or updates, visit www.facebook/Rembrandt-Remastered-NZ-Tour  or www.rembrandtremastered.co.