Aaron Bohrod’s Still Life with Rembrandt is a visually impressive trompe-l’œil painting that was created in 1958. The artwork is painted on gessoed board and measures 24 by 14 inches. It was sold at a Sotheby’s New York auction in 2018 for USD 20,000, exceeding the estimated value by an impressive 33%.
Bohrod was known throughout the art world for his highly realistic still-life paintings and his signature trompe-l’œil style. The artist studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Art Students League of New York, earning several Guggenheim Fellowships during his career. His prolific work included paintings, drawings, prints, murals, and ceramics.
The previous owner of Still Life with Rembrandt was Senator William Benton of New York and Southport, Connecticut. The piece pays homage to Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn through its use of clever illusionism; viewers would be forgiven for confusing this painting with an actual object or photograph. Despite its seeming simplicity at first glance, it is a work that reveals both technical proficiency and artistic mastery upon closer inspection. Bohrod died in Madison, Wisconsin in 1992 – but his legacy lives on through brilliant pieces such as this one.
