Claudius Civilis 2

This is the second drawing that I did at the Rijksmuseum from Rembrandt’s Oath of the Batavians, or Claudius Civilis. I wanted to spend some time with it, remembering my special interest in the painting when I was younger. This sketch I started at the right side of the composition, to have a look at those figures farther away from Claudius Civilis.

The Batavians were members of a Germanic tribe who lived in what is now the Netherlands.

This lower border of this sketch is irregular because I had originally written notes to the left and right sides of the page, then the drawing expanded into available space. I digitally erased the words, and cleaned up the edges, to make it easier to see the image.

As I was drawing, I had the feeling that the painting was supposed to feel like a real party. The participants, heavy with food and drink, swear an allegiance to act on their common feeling. Several elements suggested this: the lighting on the faces from below; the varied head heights and poses of the figures on the far side of the table; the man silhouetted on our side of the table, bent over and holding a large vessel; the strange, lumpy shape next to this man, probably his coat.

The way the image was painted also contributes to this feeling. Lack of polish or elegance seem appropriate.

I can see how some might have been offended, or disappointed, by the unrefined portrayal of their ancestors. But for art viewers today, it seems particularly regrettable that the painting was rejected, and Rembrandt felt the need to cut it down. In its original format, in its original setting, I imagine a work of engaging, involving depth, a rich meditation on history and life.