Amsterdam‘s Rembrandt House Museum is opening a pop-up tattoo studio offering original designs based on Rembrandt’s artworks to attract a younger audience.
As part of the museum’s ‘poor man’s Rembrandt project‘, guests will be able to get a tattoo at Rembrandt van Rijn’s former home between 19 and 25 June.
These will be done by tattoo artists from the Schiffmacher and Veldhoen tattoo studio in Amsterdam, including Henk Schiffmacher, Tycho Veldhoen, Rupa van Teylingen and Timothy John Englisch.
The museum is offering various designs based on 17th century Dutch master’s artworks, including his original etchings and signature.
Designs based on Rembrandt’s artworks
“Worldwide, more tattoos are sold than works of art to hang on your wall,” said Schiffmacher.
“An old tattoo artist once called tattoos ‘the Poor Man’s Rembrandt’ – a work of art that is more affordable than a painting by one of the old masters, but no less carefully executed and selected.
“Many people also build up a real collection of tattoos from specific tattoo artists. They come to us because they want to add Schiffmacher and Veldhoen to their life-long collection.
“For us, it is an incredible honor to work in the place where Rembrandt’s soul can still be felt, and to work with his etchings and drawings. Grand and small art coming together.”
Schiffmacher and Veldhoen collaboration
Schiffmacher has been a household name in the tattoo community for 45 years. Known as the ‘Amsterdam tattoo king,’ he organised Europe’s first major tattoo conventions.
He has also published more than 20 books and exhibited in museums including Musée du quai Branly in Paris and the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto.
“We see ourselves as the artists’ house. Rembrandt was not just living there and working there, but also teaching his pupils,” the museum’s director Milou Halbesma told the Guardian.
“We want to work in our new studio space with Dutch artists to connect with the public – and we consider Schiffmacher and Veldhoen artists. It’s about the challenge for every museum: to reach the next generation.”
Images: Schiffmacher and Veldhoen / Rembrandt House Museum
