Taking photos of paintings hanging in a museum is difficult. Most museums prohibit the use of flash or lighting of any kind. They also ban the use of tripods. If you view a dozen different reproductions of the same painting, you will see a dozen different colors. This self-portrait by Rembrandt van Rijn, c. 1628 is a good example. The image above is one that I took handheld with my Sony HX400v camera obviously without a flash. Here is the official Rijksmuseum reproduction from its website.
I am usually surprised when I see a familiar painting in "real life" for the first time. The colors are usually far different than any of the reproductions. This issue brings up the basic difference between photography and reality. Photos do not show real life. The camera's sensor or even film is always an interpreter of reality. By the way, I have always noticed that I see color differently through each of my eyes. If I alternatively close one eye or the other, I see subtle changes in the color of the light.
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