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| Welcome to the Artist-Of-The-Month page. Each month we'll feature
the biography, information and links to a particular artist. The idea behind this page is for you the art student
to share some information you know and enjoy about a particular artist. Have an artist you would like to share
with other members of CW, send it to: mikemlz@verizon.net |
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Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn
(1606-1669)
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About Rembrandt
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Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn was born on 15th July, 1606, in Leiden, the eighth of nine
children of Harmen Gerritszoon van Rijn and his wife, Neeltje van Suijttbroeck. He was the first and the only of
their sons whom they sent to the school for Latin. After seven years’ schooling (1613-1620), Rembrandt entered
the Philosophical Faculty of Leiden University to study Classics. A short period at the university finished with
starting a period of apprenticeship (1622-24) under the Italy-trained painter Jacob Isaacszoon van Swanenburgh.
However, the succeeding half-year studies under Pieter Lastman, the Amsterdam artist of historical paintings, influenced
Rembrandt’s work much deeper.
In 1625 the 19-year-old Rembrandt returned to Leiden and opened his own studio, which he shared with his
friend of the same age, Jan Lievens. Rembrandt executed historical paintings, but is reknowned for his numerous
self-portraits. During his lifetime Rembrandt executed more than 100 self-portraits. He also produced many engravings
and etchings.
The turning point in Rembrandt’s further career was the visit to Leiden of Constantijn Huygens, the widely
educated secretary of the governor Prince Frederick Hendrick, who developed great interest in Rembrandt and his
art. Huygens’ patronage led to commissions and initial success: two works by Rembrandt were purchased by the English
Crown and many copies of his painting Judas Returning the Thirty Pieces of Silver and the Raising of Lazarus were
soon published.
After his father’s death on 27th April 1630, Rembrandt moved to Amsterdam, where he settled in the house of the
art-dealer, Hendrick van Uylenburgh. Prince Frederick Hendrick bought a number of his paintings and commissioned
the Passion cycle, which he would finish in 1639. In 1632, Rembrandt also received the commission to paint a portrait
of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp, the famous Amsterdam surgeon. Wining acclaim with this work, Rembrandt became a fashionable
portraitist in Amsterdam and started to receive many commissions for portraits of well-to-do patricians.
In 1634, Rembrandt became a member of the Guild of St. Luke, in order that he may train pupils and apprentices
as a self-employed master. Rembrandt was popular as a teacher and had a very large and profitable workshop with
many student followers. The same year he married Saskia van Uylenburgh, niece of his art-dealer and daughter of
a wealthy patrician. Despite their deep devotion and love to each other, their happiness was overshadowed with
the deaths of their new-born children and quarrels with Saskia’s relatives, who accused her of squandering money.
Of their 4 children only their son Titus, born in September 1641, survived to his adulthood. Titus’ features appear
in a number of painting by Rembrandt.
As if in plea to let her son live, Saskia died the next year in June. Her death caused a deep crisis in
Rembrandt’s life.
During the years of their mutual life Rembrandt created such masterpieces as The Abduction of Ganymede, The Angel
Stopping Abraham from Sacrificing Isaac to God, The Feast of Belshazzar, The Night Watch and others. The Night
Watch, maybe is the most famous Rembrandt’s work, and his the largest one (12x15ft; 3.5x4.5m), was commissioned
by a company of the Civil Guard of Amsterdam for its assembly hall. The painting is a “recapitulation of the ideals
of Rembrandt’s first ten Amsterdam years, and is the last painting in which he strives for brilliant external effects.
From now on he set himself the aim of recreating in visual terms the intangible essence of man, his inner life”.
In his last two decades Rembrandt simplified his compositions, preferring more classical and stable structure.
To help the widowed father, two women, Geertge Dircx and, a little later, Hendrickje Stoffels, were admitted
in the household. Eventually Geertge caused the artist troubles: at first she repeatedly quarreled with him until
at last she brought him to the court (in 1649) on the grounds of an unfulfilled promise of marriage. The second
woman, Hendrickje, testified against the plaintiff, and Geertge was sentenced to several years in the prison at
Gouda. Hendrickje became Rembrandt’s common-law wife, she sat for many of Rembrandt’s paintings, such as Portrait
of Hendrickje Stoffels. (c. 1650) and in 1654 gave birth to their daughter Cornelia.
Despite numerous commissions, the fees from pupils and the proceeds from etchings, Rembrandt’s debts continued
to grow. In 1656, Rembrandt was declared bankrupt. His house and collections were auctioned; however, the sum thereby
raised was insufficient to cover the debts. The artist moved into the Roozengracht, where he led a secluded life
along with Mennonite and Jewish friends.
After Rembrandt’s bankruptcy, Hendrickje and Titus (in 1660) set up an art-dealing business in order to provide
Rembrandt with protection against his creditors. Despite leading a secluded existence, he maintained many contacts.
He continued to keep pupils, and execute commissions, such as the portrait of the board members of the Amsterdam
Cloth makers’ Guild The Syndics of the Clothmakers' Guild (The Staalmeesters). The paintings of Rembrandt’s last
years bear the sad imprint of his unhappy old age and disrepute The Return of the Prodigal Son. (c 1668/69). The
dramatic expressions in his last magnificent series of self-portraits reveal an overwhelming ultimate misery and
inner torment Self-Portrait. (1669).
The artist died on 4th October, 1669 without having completed the painting Simeon with the Christ Child in the
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Did You Speak to Me?, 1897 Oil on canvas, 38 X 43"
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Landscape With a Cow Etching, with Drypoint, ca. 1650
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Rembrandt. The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard. 1637. Oil on panel. The Hermitage,
St. Petersburg, Russia.
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Self-Portrait
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The Angel Stopping Abraham from Sacrificing Isaac to God. 1635. Oil on canvas. The Hermitage,
St. Petersburg, Russia.
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The Night Watch 1642. Oil on canvas Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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The Descent from the Cross 1634 Oil on wood, Munich, Germany
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Portrait of Saskia 1634 Oil on canvas, Kassel, Germany
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A Young Girl Leaning on a Window-Sill 1645 Oil on canvas, London, UK
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The Supper at Emmaus 1648 Oil on wood Louvre, Paris
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Hendrickje Bathing in a River 1654 Oil on canvas National Gallery, London
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The Apostle Paul 1657 Oil on canvas The National Gallery of Art, Washington, USA
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Self-Portrait as St. Paul 1661 Oil on canvas
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The Staalmeesters 1662 Oil on canvas Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
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Rembrandt's The Jewish Bride, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
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Rembrandt, Self Portrait at the Age of 63', 1669.
London, National Gallery
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