Rembrandt in America: About the backwards M

Maybe you have noticed the backwards M in the logo of the current exhibition Rembrandt in America. It's not a typo.

When the museum asked our studio [1] ( RUL) to design the logo and exhibition graphics for the Rembrandt show, we met with Jon Seydl [2], curator of European paintings and sculpture, who discussed the themes of the show. This exhibition asks the viewer to "look closely [3]" and judge for themselves the authenticity of the paintings–whether it could have been painted by an artist of the Rembrandt school, or an apprentice to Rembrandt or by Rembrandt himself.

[4]

A few of Katie Parland's sections

We wanted to create a simple logo that hinted at these themes the visitors would find in the exhibition. Designer Katie Parland sketched out a gem. The subtlety of the highlighted backwards M in Rembrandt's name makes you take another look and notice that something is not quite right but it still reads easily since a backwards M looks very similar to a right read M.

We hope to have made you take a closer look.

[5]

–Lizzy Lee
co-principal at RUL