The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp

The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp (1632) by Rembrandt shows Dr. Tulp in dark attire with a white collar delivering a demonstration to a group of surgeons gathered around a table where a nude cadaver lies. The composition centers on the cadaver and Tulp, with the other figures arranged in a tight cluster that leads the eye around the scene, while light from the left casts strong highlights on faces, hands, and the exposed musculature against a dark background. The palette is restrained to earthy browns, blacks, whites, and flesh tones, and the painting demonstrates Rembrandt’s Baroque realism, dramatic chiaroscuro, and meticulous rendering of fabrics, textures, and anatomy.