SUMMARY
The scientific interests of Rev. Professor Janusz Pasierb revolved mostly around questions related to Polish art, often in the perspective of European interconnections, inspirations, as well as differences. The present study has been inspired by an observation by Rev. Professor Pasierb made in reference to a sphere of human activity unrelated to art. Describing in one of his papers the figure of Bishop Konstantyn Dominik (1870–1942), Professor Pasierb employed the phrase extraordinary ordinariness17. In the present text, this term will be used to discuss an artist whose oeuvre depicts ‘extraordinary ordinariness’ in the most multi-aspected and spectacular way. Rembrandt van Rijn was at once a traditionalist and innovator, both in regard to the range of employed subjects and compositional schemes and his craftsmanship. His knowledge of the achievements of his forerunners, continuously developed, inspired his own artistic quest. Despite the fact that he was a painter in the period when elaborated allegory was universally employed, he insisted on the realism of scenes and directness of compositions in order to bring out the extra-sensual dimension, based on symbolism hidden in prosaic life. His works open spaces of universal experiences and feelings, at the same time inclining us to pose questions concerning their complex intellectual interpretation or Rembrandt’s technique. His mastery is equally palpable in his biblical compositions, landscapes or brilliant psychological portraits, while each of the genres was depicted by him both in painting and in graphic arts, which was rare in the times when most artists specialized in only one medium, or even in one genre, like portraits or landscapes, in one medium. Rembrandt is one of the artists referred to as painters-engravers (peintre-graveur), like Albrecht Dürer or Lucas van Leyden before him. In graphic arts in particular, he introduced new technical and compositional solutions, issuing works that often astound with their innovative approach and extremely individual interpretation. Rembrandt’s versatility in terms of addressing various genres is particularly visible in his prints. Certain subjects were resumed by him as he looked for ever new solutions. Several chosen examples of graphic works depicting religious themes combining in various aspects traditionalism and innovation will be discussed to illustrate Rembrandt’s iconographic, compositional and technical concepts and search.
Nadzwyczajna zwyczajność. Rembrandt rytownik. Nowatorstwo wobec tradycji
