There is a shell named Conus Marmoreus that became famous because Rembrandt etched a still life of it. Since then, the shell has been known as the Rembrandt shell. The Rembrandt shell was once displayed in Rembrandt’s Kunstcaemer among other exotic collectibles.

Suppose you want to reproduce this shell just like Rembrandt, or in other words mimic Rembrandt’s idea. Then you buy a Rembrandt shell because you want to know what the shell looks like in real life. You want to understand the shell.

At least, I do.

Then you’ll notice that something doest’t fit. You see, the Rembrandt shell does not exist in real life. Possibly Rembrandt didn’t know that but in the whole world there is no clockwise Conus Marmoreus to be found!

So, then what?

You can paint an anti-clockwise Rembrandt shell, just as Henk Helmantel did. Maybe because you can’t resist correcting Rembrandt or because it is not in your nature to make a non-existent shell. Everyone has his or her tendencies.

Or you render the shell counterclockwise just like Rembrandt.

Then it doesn’t even matter what material or technique you use, it is the Rembrandt shell anyway.

Choices …