Analyzing Rembrandt's Anatomy Lesson and Picasso's Les Demoiselles

This essay provides a comparative analysis of Rembrandt's 'The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp' and Pablo Picasso's 'Les Demoiselles d'Avignon,' highlighting their distinct artistic styles, objectives, and social contexts. Rembrandt's painting, created in 1632, focuses on depicting the musculature of the arm within a medical setting, reflecting 17th-century anatomy lessons and the Surgeon’s Guild's commissions. In contrast, Picasso's early 20th-century work addresses racial primitivism by portraying five nude prostitutes with disjoined body shapes and varying facial features, evoking both revolution and controversy. While both are oil paintings on canvas, their purposes diverge significantly, with Rembrandt focusing on medical science and Picasso tackling social issues. The essay contrasts Rembrandt's focus on medical science with Picasso's exploration of racial primitivism, emphasizing the unique contributions of each artist to their respective fields.

Running head: ART
Art
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Authors Note:

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Introduction:
A 1632 oil painting on canvas by Rembrandt, The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp, is
regarded as one of the masterpieces of the artist. The portrait was made on canvas of 216.5 cm
× 169.5 cm in Mauritius, The Hague.
Created in 1907 by Pablo Picasso of Spain, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon also known as The
Brothel of Avignon is a large oil painting displaying five female prostitutes of Brothel without
any clothes. The oil and canvas portrait has a dimension of 243.9 cm × 233.7 cm (96 in × 92 in)
and is a part of the permanent collection of Museum of Modern Art.
Body:
The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp explains the features of musculature with Dr Tulp
seen as explaining musculature in picture. In 17th Century Anatomy lessons were part of social
culture with lectures on the subject attended by paying attendance fees. The Surgeon’s Guild has
the power to commission a portrait by leading portraying at that time to explain different aspects
of Anatomy. The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp is one such portrait made by Rembrandt
to explain musculature. Rembrandt explains important features of musculature to provide
anatomy lessons (IJpma, and van Gulik).
The nude female prostitutes in Les Demoiselles d'Avignon lack feminine attributes as Picasso
tried to evoke racial primitivism by depicting the female prostitutes in disjoined body shapes and
different facial features. The three female prostitutes in the left of the portrait have Iberian facial
features with the remaining two female prostitutes on the right of the portrait having African-
mask like features. The portrait made by Picasso was both revolutionary and controversial. As a

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result there was widespread anger and disagreement with the features of feminism elaborated in
the portrait (Utell).
Both work are significantly different from each other. The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp
by Rembrandt is about explaining musculature of arm in relation to medical profession thus, it is
especially important to the medical professional. On the other hand The Brothel of Avignon, Les
Demoiselles d'Avignon, has taken on the social dynamics associated with prostitution. By
depicting five female prostitutes of Brothel in nude avatar in disjoined body shapes Les
Demoiselles d'Avignon took on racial Primitivism.
The comparison makes it clear that Rembrandt who created The Anatomy Lesson of Dr.
Nicolaes Tulp is an artist who used his creative genius to depict the medical lessons for medical
professionals. His work even subsequent to 1632 was also primarily on medical science. Pablo
Picasso on the other hand took on the social issue of racial primitivism with his extra-ordinary
creation, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon. The similarity between the two works of art is only in one
respect and it is the material. Both portraits are oil on canvas with large dimensions. The reason
and objective behind creation of both works are completely different though ("‘The Anatomy
Lesson Of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp’: From A Group Portrait To A True Lesson In Functional
Anatomy")

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References:
"‘The Anatomy Lesson Of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp’: From A Group Portrait To A True Lesson In
Functional Anatomy". Vol 79, no. 6, 2009, pp. 496-497. Wiley, doi:10.1111/j.1445-
2197.2009.04960.x.
IJpma, F. F. A., and T. M. van Gulik. "The Anatomy Lesson Of Nicolaes Tulp, Painted By
Rembrandt In 1632". British Journal Of Surgery, vol 103, no. 11, 2016, pp. 1408-
1408. Wiley, doi:10.1002/bjs.10301.
Utell, Janine. "Picasso: The Great War, Experimentation, And Change, And: Picasso: The Great
War, Experimentation, And Change By Pablo Picasso, Mariah
Keller". Modernism/Modernity, vol 23, no. 3, 2016, pp. 677-681. Johns Hopkins University
Press, doi:10.1353/mod.2016.0058.
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