“As the paintings the 'Night Watch' and the 'Staalmeesters' [famous works of Rembrandt ] are showed now it is clear to everyone that they have searched but, indeed messed with it, to enable these paintings to do what they can do [visually]. But you see, they did not find a good solution just because they appreciated the museum itself [a rather new building, then! ] higher than the paintings themselves. I told at the very first opening of the Rijksmuseum [1885] already everyone who wanted to listen to me: in this room, where the Night Watch' is hanging now, it can never comes to its full right…. There must be built for the 'Night Watch' and for the 'Staalmeesters' a separate room each…. [with] standing light and the paintings positioned on an easel or standard behind…. I just want to add here, that my own studio can serve as a very special model…. concerning the sizes and the lighting.”

Quote from Israëls' letter to the Dutch Minister S. van Houten, 4 Nov. 1894; as cited in In het Rijksmuseum, Jan Veth (translation from the original Dutch: Fons Heijnsbroek); Holkema's Boekhandel http://docplayer.nl/42488824-In-het-rijksmuseum-door-jan-veth-met-twee-brieven-van-jozef-israels-holkema-s-boekhandel-i-4-november-mdcccxciv.html, Amsterdam, 1894, p. 10
During Israel's whole artistic life Rembrandt was his inspiration and had a strong impact on his own painting-style
Quotes of Jozef Israels, 1871 - 1900

Original

Zooals de schilderijen 'de Nachtwacht' en 'de Staalmeesters' nu [1894, in het Rijksmuseum] hangen is het voor ieder duidelijk, dat men gezocht, ja geknoeid heeft om die schilderijen te laten doen wat zij kunnen. Maar ziet U, men heeft het niet gevonden, eenig en alleen omdat men het museum hooger stelde dan de schilderijen. Want zooals ik bij de allereerste opening van 't Rijksmuseum [1885] gezegd heb, aan iedereen die het hooren wilde: in dit lokaal, waar de Nachtwacht nu staat, kan hij nooit tot zijn recht komen.. .. Er moet voor de 'Nachtwacht' en voor de 'Staalmeesters' ieder een apart vertrek gebouwd worden.. ..staand licht en de schilderijen op een schildersezel of standaard daar achter, niet tegen den muur opgehangen.. ..Nog even wil ik hier bijvoegen, dat mijn eigen atelier van afmeting en verlichting bijzonder als model .. ..zou kunnen dienen.

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Jozef Israëls 33
Dutch painter 1824–1911

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