The Sun readers share their best efforts at Rembrandt-style portraits — meet our finalists in running for Amsterdam trip
To mark 350 years since his death, Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum will display his artwork from this Friday
WHEN we asked for a photo to grace the walls of an exhibition to celebrate the inventor of the selfie, you were remarkable.
Rembrandt painted almost 100 self-portraits and, to mark 350 years since his death, Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum will display his artwork from this Friday — alongside the winning Sun reader’s selfie. Gallery director Taco Dibbits gives his verdict on each of our finalists. The lucky winner will be announced tomorrow.
Self-portrait as a Young Man
PROUD dad David Millar spotted Rembrandt’s first-ever selfie, where he was a young man with wild hair – and recreated the picture with seven-year-old son Phoenix as the star.
Car restorer David, 47, from Chigwell, Essex, says: “The girls at Phoenix’s school love his hair.”
Judge Taco says: “I loved this picture. It instantly makes you smile and is a very modern take on Rembrandt’s selfie.”
Self-portrait with a White Feathered Bonnet
THE Dutch artist did many self-portraits wearing hats with feathers. Alexander Slack, 53, from Penzance, Cornwall, used a Poppy Day badge to attach two white feathers to his cap – and made a ruff from a folded-up copy of The Sun.
Taco says: “Rembrandt was always making selfies where he was pulling faces. Alexander’s picture perfectly captured the grand master’s love of funny faces. The ruff made from The Sun was inspired.”
A Polish Nobleman
MANDY Mason, 49, from Newton Abbot, Devon, recreated her favourite Rembrandt picture. Mandy, who runs a chimney sweep business, says: “I love the use of lighting that enhances his features.
You are drawn into his mind to see what he is thinking. He looks ready to go home, put on his slippers and relax with a nice glass of wine.”
Taco says: “Mandy has thought deeply about the picture and taken a lot of time to make a fine selfie.”
Flora
REMBRANDT would use family members as models, including wife Saskia van Uylenburgh who posed as Flora.
Vicky Cheyney, 34, spotted a bouquet that matched the flowers Saskia was holding in the painting.
The IT manager, from Brighton, says: “I made a headband and set up a black backdrop to make my selfie look moody.”
Taco says: “Rembrandt was light years ahead when it came to shade, Vicky captured that perfectly.”
The Girl with a Broom
RETIREMENT flats manager Clare Connolly-Joyce had the perfect prop to recreate one of Rembrandt’s artworks – a witch’s broom bought as a Christmas present.
Clare, 44, with the help of daughter Niamh, ten, set to work mimicking the painting. The mum, from Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, says: “The girl in the picture looked fed up. I know how she felt, I’m always cleaning up, too.”
Taco says: “Clare looks really natural here.”
The Man with the Golden Helmet
DOCTORS feared school caretaker Peter Molyneux might lose the use of his hand after he had surgery.
Peter, 60, from Northampton, says: “I thought, ‘If that happens, I will never be able to carve a helmet out of a melon’. So I did it. It was a daft idea.” He then saw that it looked like The Man With The Golden Helmet.
Taco says: “Rembrandt liked pictures of people doing unusual things and you can’t get more unusual than a man wearing a melon on his head!”
Self-portrait
CLEANER Louise Brooker posed in a faux-fur coat with a paintbrush in front of an Ikea picture of Venice to create a background that looked like 17th Century Amsterdam. Louise, 50, from Hall Green, Birmingham, says: “Rembrandt painted the real McCoy so I left the picture untouched with blotches and grey hair showing!”
Taco says: “Rembrandt would be proud of Louise’s attempt at a modern-day version of his work.”
Titus, the Artist's Son
MUM Siobhan Jones, 30, used Rembrandt’s son Titus as her inspiration. The office administrator, from Cardiff, says: “I’ve got wild hair and so did Titus. By chance I had a red beret hidden away, so I put it on and took the picture. Even my one-year-old daughter, Leia, tried to get involved in the photoshoot.”
Taco says: “Just like Titus, Siobhan’s hair is very striking in this picture.”
Self-portrait as The Apostle Paul
GRANDMA Jean Watts donned six-year-old granddaughter Phoebe’s unicorn shower cap for her selfie.
Retired HR manager Jean, 65, from Basildon, Essex, says: “I read how Rembrandt used to love to do selfies of himself laughing. I like to show my grandchildren that you have got to laugh at yourself and not take life too seriously.”
Taco says: “Jean certainly got into the spirit of Rembrandt’s fun side.”
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The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Nicolaes Tulp
ACCOUNTANT Aman Singh, 36, was fascinated by the painting showing Dr Nicolaes Tulp and his students crowded around a dead body.
Aman, from Rochester, Kent, says: “I had a crazy idea to bring it into the 21st Century.”
So he bought a fake moustache, that “only stayed on for ten seconds”, and kids’ game Operation to create his selfie.
Taco says: “Aman has created a really funny picture from what is quite a grim subject.”
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