National Treasures

Rembrandt's 'Self Portrait at the Age of 34'

At the Brighton Museum & Art Gallery

10 May - 4 August 2024

Brighton Museum & Art Gallery

Brighton Museum & Art Gallery is located in the Royal Pavilion garden, at the heart of Brighton's cultural quarter. It is home to ground-breaking displays celebrating world-class art, history and design.

You can explore inspiring collections – local and global – from design innovations in furniture, ceramics, silver and glass, to fine art.

The art collection spans five centuries, from Old Masters to key 20th-century artists, as well as prints and drawings reflecting the history of Brighton and Hove.

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Rembrandt, 'Self Portrait at the Age of 34'

Image: Rembrandt, 'Self Portrait at the Age of 34', 1640

What will you be like when you’re 34?

Rembrandt’s Self Portrait at the Age of 34 was displayed at the Brighton Museum & Art Gallery.
Alongside this masterpiece Brighton Museum displayed photographic work by a group of young people, in a collaboration between Brighton & Hove Museums and Photoworks.

The young people worked with artist Alejandra Carles-Tolra to create self portraits exploring the themes of identity and perception. They considered how they would like to be seen by their peers, when, like Rembrandt, they reach the age of 34.

While curating their own image for a modern audience, the young people imagined themselves in an artistic conversation with Rembrandt. The results created an exciting dialogue between the past, present and a vibrant future. This work complemented the Rembrandt painting while challenging the traditional conventions of self portraiture.