Geographer

Previously attributed to Rembrandt himself, this painting carries a “Rembrandt van Rijn“ signature (at left center, above the globe), which could have been done by star pupil Willem Drost (to whom the painting is currently attributed). The contemporaneous nature of the signature has been confirmed by the conservator of the painting. Drost is known to have inscribed the Rembrandt signature on other paintings; for example, Portrait of a Young Man in the Wallace Collection, London. In painting The Geographer, he has employed chiaroscuro: the typical light-dark painting techniques of his master. Students in the Rembrandt workshop also used the same paint mixes and other supplies (brushes, panels, etc.) as the master.

Alternately, legend has it that Rembrandt often put final touches on works by his students and occasionally signed some paintings to inflate the prices his assistants could command for their works. Regardless if signed by master or pupil, the contemplative geographer is portrayed with the tools of his profession: globe, divider and triangle. During the 17th century, geography was among the most well-regarded applied sciences; with the age of discovery came a need to chart new lands. Thus, geographers enjoyed elite status, as evidenced in this painting.