Rembrandt Harmenszoon 'And The Gross Clinic'

n this essay, I will be comparing the similarities and contrasting the differences between two works of art. The first work is The Anatomy Lesson by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, more commonly known just as Rembrandt. This work of art is an oil painting on canvas. The second work of art is The Gross Clinic by Thomas Eakins, which is also an oil painting on canvas. These two works of art both portray a main motif of a surgery showing anatomy. Rembrandt’s painting of The Anatomy Lesson (full title The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp) is an oil painting on canvas. This painting is of an anatomy lesson in a surgical theatre. Realistic in style, this painting shows very good details in the faces of the people looking on as well as extremely fine details in the muscle and ligaments in the interior of the arm. Rembrandt’s attention to detail brings out the realism in the painting. The faces of the people look real not only due to their facial expressions, but their beards that look real due to Rembrandt’s skill in detail. The detail on the hairs of the men is very well done and looks real.
According to Museum Het Rembrandthuis (cite online source), a leading physician of the Guild of Physicians would, twice a week, give anatomy lessons. Once a year, there would be a public autopsy. This would take place during the winter so the body would not smell very bad due to the heat and decomposition. These public autopsies would be performed on a criminal usually, and in Rembrandt’s painting, the subject was Adriaen het Kint. Adriaen was arrested for armed robbery, and he was hung by rope till death. His sentence being served, the public dissection was performed by Dr. Tulp. Rembrandt was in the crowd and captured this moment in time of Dr. Tulp showing the interior of the arm with a group of gentlemen immediately around the