"Remember me" Exhibition: Exploring Renaissance Portraiture and European Art History

This exhibition explores the burgeoning art of portraiture in 15th and 16th-century Europe, showcasing over 100 Renaissance portraits. It delves into themes of ambition, longing, loss, and the enduring human desire to be remembered through carefully planned compositions and symbolism.

Remember me presents a comprehensive look at the rise of portraiture in Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries, featuring more than 100 Renaissance portraits. The exhibition highlights how individuals sought to immortalize themselves through art, emphasizing themes such as beauty, authority, ambition, love, family, knowledge, and faith. Sitters and artists meticulously planned every aspect of the composition, from facial expressions and symbolism to pose and background, to present a desired image. The exhibition draws international masterpieces from renowned institutions across Europe and the United States, including significant works by Petrus Christus, Antonello da Messina, Albrecht Dürer, Hans Holbein the Younger, Jan Gossart, and Sofonisba Anguissola. Beyond the visual representations of power and status, the exhibition delves into the fundamental human need to remember and be remembered, a desire that has persisted from antiquity to the modern era of selfies. Visitors are invited to reflect on their own legacies and how they wish to be perceived. The exhibition is further enriched by an audio tour featuring poet Ellen Deckwitz and presenter Simone Weimans, offering personal stories and reflections on memory, ambition, and the interplay of reality and beauty. A catalogue, also titled 'Remember Me', accompanies the exhibition, providing further insights from Rijksmuseum curators.

A separate start time is required for this exhibition, which can be booked via the 'Book a visit' button. Friends do not need to book a start time. The audio tour is available free of charge in the Rijksmuseum app or can be rented on a device.