John Burnet

IN THE ENTRANCE HALL.

A Picture, representing The Gingerbread Baker	By Brauwer.
A ditto, The Gamblers	Ditto.
A ditto, A Woman and Child	Rembrandt.
A ditto, The Interior of an Artist's Painting Room	Brauwer.
A ditto, The Interior of a Kitchen	Ditto.
A Statue of a Woman, in plaster.
Two Children, in plaster.
A Sleeping Child, in plaster.
A Landscape	By Rembrandt.
A ditto	Ditto.
A Woman represented standing	Ditto.
A Christmas Night Piece	Jean Lievensz.
St. Jerome	Rembrandt.
Dead Hares, a small picture	Ditto.
A small picture of a Pig	Ditto.
A small Landscape	Hercules Segers.
A Landscape	Jean Lievensz.
A ditto	Ditto.
A ditto	Rembrandt.
A Combat of Lions	Ditto.
A Landscape, by moonlight	Jean Lievensz.
A Head	Rembrandt.
A ditto	Ditto.
A picture of Still Life, objects retouched	Ditto.
A Soldier, clad in armour	By Rembrandt.
A Skull, and other objects, styled a Vanitas, retouched	Ditto.
A ditto, ditto, retouched	Ditto.
A Sea Piece	Hendrick Antonisz.
Four Spanish Chairs, covered with leather.
Two ditto, ditto in black.
A Plank of Wood.
IN THE FRONT PARLOUR.
A small picture of the Samaritan, retouched	By Rembrandt.
The Rich Man	Palma Vecchio.
(The half of this picture belongs to Peter de la Tombe).
A View of the Back of a House	By Rembrandt.
Two Sporting Dogs, done after nature	Ditto.
The Descent from the Cross, a large picture, in a gilt frame	Ditto.
The Raising of Lazarus	Ditto.
A Courtesan Dressing	Ditto.
A Woody Scene	Hercules Segers.
Tobias, &c.	Lastman.
The Raising of Lazarus	Jean Lievensz.
A Landscape, representing a mountainous country	Rembrandt.
A small Landscape	By Govert Jansz.
Two Heads	Rembrandt.
A Picture, en grisaille	Jean Lievensz.
A ditto, ditto	Parcelles.
A Head	Rembrandt.
A ditto	Brauwer.
A View of the Dutch Coast	Parcelles.
A ditto of the same, smaller	Ditto.
A Hermit	Jean Lievensz.
Two Small Heads	Lucas Van Valkenburg.
A Camp on Fire	The elder Rassan.
A Quack Doctor	After Brauwer.
Two Heads	By Jan Pinas.
A perspective View	Lucas Van Leyden.
A Priest	Jean Lievensz.
A Model	Rembrandt.
A Flock of Sheep	Ditto.
A Drawing	Ditto.
The Flagellation of our Lord	Ditto.
A Picture, done en grisaille	Parcelles.
A ditto, ditto	Simon de Vlieger.
A small Landscape	Rembrandt.
A Head of a Woman, after Nature	Ditto.
A Head	Rafaelle Urbino.
A View of Buildings, after Nature	Rembrandt.
A Landscape, after Nature	Ditto.
A View of Buildings	Hercules Segers.
The Goddess Juno	Jacob Pinas.
A Looking Glass, in a black ebony frame.
An ebony Frame.
A Wine Cooler, in marble.
A Table of walnut tree, covered with a carpet.
Seven Spanish Chairs, with green velvet cushion.
BACK PARLOUR.
A Picture	By Pietro Testa.
A Woman with a Child	Rembrandt.
Christ on the Cross, a model	Ditto.
A Naked Woman	Ditto.
A Copy, after a picture	Annibal Caracci.
Two Half Figures	Brauwer.
A Copy, after a picture	Annibal Caracci.
A Sea View	Parcelles.
The Head of an Old Woman	Van Dyck.
A Portrait of a deceased Person	Abraham Vink.
The Resurrection	A. Van Leyden.
A Sketch	Rembrandt.
Two Heads, after Nature	Ditto.
The Consecration of Solomon's Temple, done en grisaille	Ditto.
The Circumcision, a copy	After Ditto.
Two small Landscapes	By Hercules Segers.
A gilt Frame.
A small Oak Table.
Four Shades for engraving.
A Clothes Press.
Four old Chairs.
Four green Chair Cushions.
A Copper Kettle.
A Portmanteau.
THE SALOON.
A Woody Scene	By An Unknown Master.
An Old Man's Head	Rembrandt.
A large Landscape	Hercules Segers.
A Portrait of a Woman	Rembrandt.
An Allegory of the Union of the Country	Ditto.
This is probably the picture now in the Collection of Samuel Rogers, Esq.
A View in a Village	By Govert Jansz.
A Young Ox, after Nature	Rembrandt.
The Samaritan Woman, a large picture, attributed to Giorgione, the half of which belongs to Peter de la Tombe.
Three antique Statues.
A Sketch of the Entombment	By Rembrandt.
The Incredulity of St. Peter	Aertje Van Leyden.
The Resurrection of our Lord	Rembrandt.
The Virgin Mary	Rafaelle Urbino.
A Head of Christ	Rembrandt.
A Winter Scene	Grimaer.
The Crucifixion. Probably intended for Novellari	Lely of Novellaene.
A Head of Christ	Rembrandt.
A young Bull or Ox	Lastman.
A Vanitas, retouched	Rembrandt.
An Ecce Homo, en grisaille	Ditto.
Abraham Offering up his Son	Jean Lievensz.
A Vanitas, retouched	Rembrandt.
A Landscape, en grisaille	Hercules Segers.
An Evening Scene	Rembrandt.
A large Looking Glass.
Six Chairs, with blue cushions.
An oak Table.
A Table Cloth.
A Napkin Press.
A Wardrobe, or Armoir.
A Bed and a Bolster.
Two Pillows.
Two Coverlids.
Blue Hangings of a Bed.
A Chair.
A Stove.
IN THE CABINET OF ARTS.
A pair of Globes.
A Box, containing minerals.
A small Architectural Column.
A Tin Pot.
The Figure of an Infant.
Two pieces of Indian Jadd.
A Japan or Chinese Cup.
A Bust of an Empress.
An Indian Powder Box.
A Bust of the Emperor Augustus.
An Indian Cup.
A Bust of the Emperor Tiberius.
An Indian Work-Box, for a lady.
A Bust of Caius.
A pair of Roman Leggins.
Two Porcelain Figures.
A Bust of Heraclitus.
Two Porcelain Figures.
A Bust of Nero.
Two Iron Helmets.
An Indian Helmet.
An ancient Helmet.
A Bust of a Roman Emperor.
A Negro, cast from Nature.
A Bust of Socrates.
A Bust of Homer.
A ditto of Aristotle.
An antique Head, done in brown.
A Faustina.
A Coat of Armour, and a Helmet.
A Bust of the Emperor Galba.
A ditto of the Emperor Otho.
A ditto of the Emperor Vitellius.
A ditto of the Emperor Vespasian.
A ditto of the Emperor Titus Vespasian.
A ditto of the Emperor Domitian.
A ditto of Silius Brutus.
Forty-seven specimens of Botany.
Twenty-three ditto of Land and Marine Animals.
A Hammock, and two Calabashes.
Eight various objects, in plaster, done from Nature.
ON THE LAST SHELF.
A quantity of Shells, Marine Plants, and sundry curious objects, in plaster, done from Nature.
An antique Statue of Cupid.
A small Fuzil, and a Pistol.
A steel Shield, richly embossed with Figures, by Quintin Matsys, very curious and rare.
An antique Powder-horn.
A ditto; Turkish.
A Box, containing Medals.
A Shield of curious workmanship.
Two Naked Figures.
A Cast from the face of Prince Maurice, taken after his death.
A Lion and a Bull, in plaster, after Nature.
A number of Walking Sticks.
A long Bow.
BOOKS ON ART.
A Book, containing Sketches by Rembrandt.
A ditto, containing Prints engraved in wood by Lucas Van Leyden.
A ditto ditto, by Wael and others.
A ditto, containing Etchings by Baroccio and Vanni.
A ditto, containing Prints after Rafaelle Urbino.
A gilt Model of a French Bed, by Verhulst.
A Book full of Engravings, many of which are double impressions, by Lucas Van Leyden.
A ditto, containing a great number of Drawings by the best masters.
A ditto, containing a number of fine Drawings by Andrea Mantegna.
A ditto, containing Drawings by various masters, and some Prints.
A ditto, larger, full of Drawings and Prints.
A ditto, containing a number of Miniatures, Wood-cuts, and Copper-plate Prints, of the various costumes of countries.
A Book, full of Prints by Old Breughel.
A ditto, containing Prints after Rafaelle Urbino.
A ditto, containing valuable Prints, after the same.
A ditto, full of Prints by Tempesta.
A ditto, containing Wood-cuts and Engravings by Lucas Cranach.
A ditto, containing Prints after the Caracci and Guido, and Spagnoletti.
A ditto, containing Engravings and Etchings by Tempesta.
A large Folio of ditto ditto, by Ditto.
A ditto ditto, various.
A Book, containing Prints by Goltius and MÜller.
A ditto, containing Prints after Rafaelle Urbino, very fine impressions.
A Book, containing Drawings by Brauwer.
A Folio, containing a great number of Prints after Titian.
A number of curious Jars and Venetian Glasses.
An old Book, containing a number of Sketches by Rembrandt.
A ditto ditto.
A large Folio of Sketches by Rembrandt.
An empty Folio.
A Backgammon Board.
An antique Chair.
A Book, containing Chinese Drawings in miniature.
A large Cluster of White Coral.
A Book full of Prints of Statues.
A ditto full of Prints, a complete work by Heemskirk.
A ditto, full of Sketches by Rubens, Van Dyck, and other masters.
A ditto, containing the Works of Michael Angelo Buonarotti.
Two small Baskets.
A Book, containing Prints of free Subjects, after Rafaelle, Roest, Annibal Caracci, and Giulio Romano.
A ditto, full of Landscapes by the most distinguished masters.
A Book, containing Views of Buildings in Turkey, by Melchoir Lowick, Hendrick Van Helst, and others; and also the Costumes of that Country.
An Indian Basket, containing various Engravings by Rembrandt, Hollar, Cocq, and others.
A Book, bound in black leather, containing a selection of Etchings by Rembrandt.
A paper Box, full of Prints by Hupe Martin, Holbein, Hans Broemer, and Israel Mentz.
A Book, containing a complete set of Etchings by Rembrandt.
A Folio, containing Academical Drawings of Men and Women, by Rembrandt.
A Book, containing Drawings of celebrated Buildings in Rome, and other Views, by the best masters.
A Chinese Basket, full of various Ornaments.
A Folio.
A ditto.
A ditto, containing Landscapes after Nature by Rembrandt.
A Book, containing a selection of Proof Prints after Rubens and Jacques Jordaens.
A ditto, full of Drawings by Miervelt, Titian, and others.
A Chinese Basket.
A ditto ditto, containing Prints of Architectural Subjects.
A ditto, containing Drawings of various Animals from Nature by Rembrandt.
A ditto, full of Prints after Frans Floris, Bruitwael, Goltius, and Abraham Bloemart.
A quantity of Drawings from the Antique, by Rembrandt.
Five Books, in quarto, containing Drawings by Rembrandt.
A Book full of Prints of Architectural Views.
The Medea, a Tragedy, by Jan Six.
A quantity of Prints, by Jacques Callot.
A Book, bound in parchment, containing Drawings of Landscapes, after Nature, by Rembrandt.
A ditto, full of Sketches of Figures by Rembrandt.
A ditto, various.
A small Box, with wood divisions.
A Book, containing Views drawn by Rembrandt.
A ditto, containing fine Sketches.
A ditto, containing Statues after Nature by Rembrandt.
A ditto, various.
A ditto, containing pen Sketches by Peter Lastman.
A ditto, containing Drawings in red chalk by Ditto.
A ditto, containing Sketches drawn with the pen by Rembrandt.
A ditto, various.
A ditto, ditto.
A Book, various.
A ditto, ditto.
A ditto, ditto.
A Folio of large Drawings of Views in the Tyrol, by Roeland Savery.
A ditto, full of Drawings by celebrated masters.
A Book, in quarto, containing Sketches by Rembrandt.
A Book of Wood-cuts of the proportions of the Human Figure, by Albert Durer.
A Book, containing Engravings by Jean Lievensz and Ferdinand Bol.
Several parcels of Sketches by Rembrandt and others.
A quantity of Paper, of a large size.
A Box, containing Prints by Van Vliet, after Pictures by Rembrandt.
A Screen, covered with cloth.
A steel Gorget.
A Drawer, containing a Bird of Paradise, and six Forms of divers patterns.
A German Book, containing Prints of Warriors.
A ditto, with Wood-cuts.
Flavius Josephus, in German, illustrated with Engravings by Tobias Kinderman.
An ancient Bible.
A marble Inkstand.
A Cast, in Plaster, of Prince Maurice.
IN AN ANTI-CHAMBER OF THE ROOM OF ARTS.
St. Joseph	By Aertje Van Leyden.
Three Prints, in frames.
The Salutation.
A Landscape after Nature	Rembrandt.
A Landscape	Hercules Segers.
The Descent from the Cross	Rembrandt.
A Head after Nature.
A Skull	Retouched by Rembrandt.
A Model, in plaster, of the Bath of Diana	By Adam Van Vianen.
A Model from Nature	Rembrandt.
A Picture of Three Puppies, after Nature	Titus Van Ryn.
A ditto of a Book	Ditto.
A Head of the Virgin	Ditto.
The Flagellation	A Copy after Rembrandt.
A Landscape by Moonlight	Retouched by Ditto.
A Naked Woman, a Model from Nature	By Ditto.
An unfinished Landscape from Nature	Ditto.
A Horse painted from Nature	By Rembrandt.
A small Picture	Young Hals.
A Fish, after Nature.
A Model, in plaster, of a Bason, adorned with Figures, by Adam Van Vianen.
An old Chest.
Four Chairs, with black leather seats.
A Table.
IN THE SMALL PAINTING ROOM.
Thirty-three pieces of Armour and Musical Instruments.
Sixty pieces of Indian Armour, and several Bows, Arrows, and Darts.
Thirteen bamboo Pipes, and several Flutes.
Thirteen objects, consisting of Bows, Arrows, Shields, &c.
A number of Heads and Hands, moulded from Nature, together with a Harp, and a Turkish Bow.
Seventeen Hands and Arms, moulded from Nature.
Some Stag Horns.
Five ancient Casques.
Four long Bows, and cross Bows.
Nine Gourds and Bottles.
Two modelled Busts of Bartholt Been and his Wife.
A plaster Cast from a Grecian Antique.
A Bust of the Emperor Agrippa.
A ditto of the Emperor Aurelius.
A Head of Christ, of the size of Life.
A Head of a Satyr.
A Sibil—Antique.
The Laocoon—Ditto.
A large Marine Vegetable.
A Vitellius.
A Seneca.
Three or four antique Heads of Women.
A metal Cannon.
A quantity of Fragments of antique Dresses, of divers colours.
Seven Musical stringed Instruments.
Two small Pictures by Rembrandt.
FAC-SIMILE OF A LETTER OF REMBRANDT'S FAC-SIMILE OF A LETTER OF REMBRANDT'S
IN THE LARGE PAINTING ROOM.
Twenty Objects, consisting of Halberds and Swords of various kinds.
Dresses of an Indian Man and Woman.
Five Cuirasses.
A wooden Trumpet.
A Picture of Two Negroes by Rembrandt.
A Child by Michael Angelo Buonarotti.
IN THE SHED.
The Skins of a Lion and a Lioness, and two Birds.
A large Piece, representing Diana.
A Bittern, done from Nature, by Rembrandt.
IN A SMALL ROOM.
Ten Paintings, of various sizes, by Rembrandt.
A Bed.
IN THE KITCHEN.
A pewter Pot.
Several Pots and Pans.
A small Table.
A Cupboard.
Several old Chairs.
Two Chair Cushions.
IN THE PASSAGE.
Nine Plates.
Two earthen Dishes.
THE LINEN (THEN AT THE WASHER-WOMAN'S).
Three Shirts.
Six Pocket Handkerchiefs.
Twelve Napkins.
Three Table Cloths.
Some Collars and Wristbands.

The preceding Inventory was made on the 25th and 26th of July, 1656.

---

Free Translation of the Autograph Letter on the opposite page.

Sir,

It is, your Honour, with reluctance, that I am about to trouble you with a letter, and that, because on applying to the receiver Utenbogaert, (to whom I have entrusted the management of my money matters,) as to how the treasurer Volberger acquits himself of the yearly 4 per cent. interest, the said Utenbogaert, on Wednesday last, replied,—that Volberger has every half year received the interest on this annuity, and has done so up to the present time; so that now, at the annuity office, more than 4000 florins being owing, and this being the exact and true statement, I beg of you, my kind-natured Sir, that the exact sum of money at my disposal may be at once made clear, in order that I may at last receive the sum of 1244 florins, long since due; as I shall always strive to recompense such by reciprocal services, and with lasting friendship; so that with my most cordial greetings, and the prayer that God may long keep you in good health, and grant you bliss hereafter,

I remain,

Your Honour's

Obedient and devoted Servant,

REMBRANDT.

I am living on the Binnen Aemstel, at the Confectioner's.
10th Oct.

Van Suylyken, Esq.
Counsellor and Secretary to his Highness in the Hague.

Per post.

We cannot reflect upon the foregoing Catalogue without regretting that Rembrandt, in his old age, should have, like our own Milton,

The troubles existing at that time pervaded the whole of Europe, and works, both of poetry and painting, produced little emolument to the possessors; consequently the whole of this rich assemblage of works of art, the accumulation of years, fell a sacrifice to the hammer of the auctioneer, producing little more than four thousand nine hundred guilders. By its list, however, we are enabled to refute the assertion of many of his biographers, that he neglected the antique, and the works of the great masters of the Italian school, the catalogue including casts from ancient sculpture, and drawings and prints after Michael Angelo, Raffaelle, and Titian, which at that time were rare and of great value. We find by a memorandum on the back of one of Rembrandt's proofs, on India paper, of his etching of "Christ Healing the Sick," which now goes by the name of "The Hundred Guilder Print," that, "wishing to possess a print of the Plague, by Mark Antonio, after Raffaelle, valued by the dealer Van Zomers at a hundred florins, he gave the proof in exchange;" and further, "that such proofs were never sold, but given as presents to his friends." We may perceive by this the anxiety he had to collect works that were excellent. As we do not discover amongst the various articles enumerated, either palette or brushes, we may infer that on quitting Amsterdam he carried off all his working apparatus.

With this short notice of his life, and these few remarks, I must now enter into what is more properly the subject of this work, a critical examination into his principles and practice.

1 (return)
Mr. Nieuwenhuys, in a note in his Life of Rembrandt, mentions that the Directors of the Anatomical Theatre resolved to sell this picture by auction, for the purpose of augmenting the funds for supporting the widows of members, and in consequence the sale was announced for Monday the 4th of August, 1828. Since the year 1632, until this period, it had always remained in that establishment, as a gift from Professor N. Tulp, who presented it as a remembrance of himself and colleagues. Mr. N. had no sooner heard that the piece in question was to be sold, than he went to Amsterdam, with the intention of purchasing it; but, upon arriving, was informed that his Majesty, the King of the Netherlands, had opposed the sale, and given orders to the Minister for the Home Department to obtain it for the sum of 32,000 guldens, and caused it to be placed in the Museum at the Hague, where it remains. The picture is on canvas: height 64–½ inches, width 83–½ inches.