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A Letter from Rembrandt
 A portrait can be a recording of what a person looks like at a specific time in life. The painting shown here is a portrait of Marten Looten when he was 46 years old. Looten lived in Amsterdam and worked as a merchant. He asked the artist Rembrandt to paint this portrait in 1632. In the portrait he wears a broad black hat and a long black cape; a white shirt collar shows at the top. Take a closer look at Looten’s portrait. Talk with a friend about what else you see and write down interesting details on a piece of paper.
Did you notice the letter and envelope in Looten’s hand? It looks as if the letter has just been opened. Rembrandt took great care in painting it and we can read a small part of what is written: the date, January 17, 1632; Marten Looten’s name; and the artist’s initials, RHL, which stand for Rembrandt Harmensz of Leiden. What else do you think the letter says?
Write a story about Marten Looten and the letter. Who wrote the letter and what does it say? Why did Rembrandt include it in the portrait? What happened after Looten finished reading the letter? Use the details on your list to get you started.
You can see this portrait in the northern European art galleries on the second level of the Ahmanson Building at LACMA.
Search Collections Online for other artworks by Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn.
Image above:
Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn (Holland, 1606-1669), Portrait of Marten Looten, 1632, oil on panel, 36 1/2 x 30 in. (92.71 x 76.2 cm), 53.50.3, photo © 2004 Museum Associates/LACMA.
Text prepared by the Education Department, LACMA, for the "Kids’ Reading Room" (Los Angeles Times, November 25, 2003).
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Welcome to Artwork of the Month! Visit this page every month to explore a new treasure from LACMA's extensive collections.
Artwork of the Month is intended for children but can also be a fun resource for students, teachers, and families who want to learn more about artworks in LACMA's permanent collection and special exhibitions.
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