The Next Rembrandt
Can technology and data bring back to life one of the greatest painters of all time?

The Next Rembrandt was created to bring ING’s innovative spirit to their sponsorship of Dutch arts and culture, and to spark a global conversation on where data and technology can take us.

Blurring the boundaries between art and technology, The Next Rembrandt is a 3D printed painting made solely from data of Rembrandt’s body of work, and was created using deep learning algorithms and facial recognition techniques. 

gathering

1. Gathering the data
To distill the artistic DNA of Rembrandt, an extensive database of his paintings was built, so it could be analyzed, pixel by pixel.

1. Gathering the data
To distill the artistic DNA of Rembrandt, an extensive database of his paintings was built, so it could be analyzed, pixel by pixel.

determinesubject

2. Determining the subject
Data from Rembrandt’s body of work showed the way to the subject of the new painting.

 

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3. Generating the features
A software system was designed to understand Rembrandt’s style and generate new features.

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4. Bringing it to life
Once the 2D image was complete, a height map was created to mimic the brushstrokes used by Rembrandt.

Credits:
Agency: J. Walter Thompson Amsterdam
Creative Director: Bas Korsten

Concept: Bas Korsten, Robert Nelk, Mark Peeters
Creative Art: Guney Soykan
Creative Copy: Bas Korsten, Kasia Haupt Canning
Tech Lead: Emmanuel Flores
Design: Vinesh Gayadin
Digital Director: Jesse Houweling
Strategy: Agustin Soriano
Developers: Morris Franken, Ben Haanstra 

Awards:
Cannes Lions - Cyber - Grand Prix, Silver Lion, 4 Shortlists
Cannes Lions - Creative Data - Grand Prix, 2 Silver Lions, Bronze Lion, Shortlist
Cannes Lions - Innovation - Innovation Lion
Cannes Lions - Outdoor - 2 Gold Lions
Cannes Lions - Digital Craft - Gold Lion, 2 Bronze Lions, Shortlist
Cannes Lions - Direct - Silver Lions, 2 Shortlists
Cannes Lions - Promo & Activation - Silver Lion
Cannes Lions - Design - Silver Lion
Cannes Lions - Entertainment - Bronze Lion, Shortlist
D&AD - Digital Marketing - Yellow Pencil, Wood Pencil
D&AD - Digital Design - Graphite Pencil
D&AD - Direct - Graphite Pencil
D&AD - Graphic Design - Wood Pencil
One Show - Cross Platform - Gold, Silver
One Show - Print&Outdoor - Gold, Silver
One Show - Interactive - Silver, Bronze
One Show - Direct - Bronze, Merit
One Show - Design - Merit
One Show - Branded Entertainment - Merit
Eurobest - Digital Craft - Grand Prix, Gold
Eurobest - Outdoor - Gold, Silver
Eurobest - Creative Data - Gold, Shortlist
Eurobest - Innovation - Gold
Eurobest - Media - Gold
Eurobest - Promo & Activation - Silver
Eurobest - Film - Shortlist
LIA - Digital - Grand LIA, 3 Golds
LIA - Design - Gold
LIA - The New - Gold, Silver
LIA - Non-Traditional - Bronze
Epica - Digital - Grand Prix, Gold
Epica - Creative Technology - Gold
Epica - Online Campaigns - Gold
Epica - Websites - Silver
Epica - Online & Viral Films - Bronze
Clio - Event/Experiential - Gold
Clio - Out of Home - Bronze
Clio - Events - Bronze
Clio - Film - Shortlist
Clio - Brand Development - Shortlist
Andy Award - Reset/Innovation - Gold
Andy Award - Branded Content - Bronze
FWA - Site of the Day
Awwwards - Site of the Day
WPPED Cream - Digital - Crème de la Crème (Grand Prix)
WPPED Cream - Data Investment Management - Crème de la Crème (Grand Prix)
WPPED Cream - Outdoor - Winner
Luerzer's Archive - Issue 3/2016
ADCN - Grand Prix
ADCN - Digital & Social - Gold
ADCN - Next - Gold
ADCN - Promo, Activation & Direct - Silver
ADCN - Design - Product - Bronze
ADCN - Design - Digital - Bronze
ADCN - Film - Nomination
ADCN - PR - Nomination
ADCN - Media - Nomination
ADCN - Branded Content & Entertainment - Nomination
ADCN - Integrated - Nomination