The artwork titled “The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp” is a masterful oil on canvas by the celebrated Baroque artist Rembrandt, completed in the year 1632. Measuring 216 by 169.5 centimeters, this genre painting illustrates a scientific practice of the period and is currently housed at the Mauritshuis in The Hague, Netherlands.
In the artwork, Rembrandt has depicted a scene of scientific inquiry and education. The central figure is Dr. Nicolaes Tulp, a prominent Amsterdam physician, who is shown conducting a public dissection. Dr. Tulp is dressed in black with a wide-brimmed hat, and with his left hand, he is holding a pair of forceps, lifting a bundle of muscles from the dissected arm of the corpse to demonstrate their function to his audience.
Around Dr. Tulp are gathered several individuals, assumed to be members of the Amsterdam Guild of Surgeons, each displaying a particular expression of attention or curiosity. The attendees are dressed in the fashion of the era, predominantly featuring wide collars, and some have note-taking materials, suggesting their active participation in the learning process. The cadaver, lying supine on the table with a pale countenance, serves not only as the subject of the lesson but also as a stark reminder of human mortality.
The painting is notable for its dramatic use of chiaroscuro, a technique where strong contrasts between light and dark enhance the three-dimensional form and create a sense of depth and volume. Rembrandt’s portrayal of the figures and their engagement with the dissection reveals his acute understanding of human anatomy, adding an extra layer of realism to this historically significant practice. The year “1632” inscribed near one of the onlookers indicates the period when Rembrandt captured this intellectual gathering on canvas, cementing the moment at the crossroads of art and science.