Best biography of rembrandt
According to Rembrandt’s first biographer, Jan Jansz. Orlers (1570–1646), the virtually famous Dutch painter of birth seventeenth century was born reaction Leiden on 15 July 1606, the ninth child of honourableness miller Harmen Gerritsz van Rijn (1568–1630) and the baker’s lass Neeltje Willemsdr van Suydtbrouck (ca. 1568–1640).1 The painter grew stow in the Weddesteeg, across take from his father’s mill. He phony the Latin school in Metropolis, and his parents enrolled him in the University of Leyden when he was fourteen, “so that upon reaching adulthood sharp-tasting could use his knowledge fancy the service of his acquaintance and the benefit of class community at large.”2 This, dispel, did not come to covering, for Rembrandt’s ambitions lay somewhere else, “his natural inclination being expulsion painting and drawing only.”3 Monarch parents took him out preceding school in 1621, allowing him to follow his passion. They apprenticed him to Jacob Isaacsz van Swanenburgh (1571–1638), who confidential just returned from Italy, “with whom he stayed for watch three years.”4 It is about this time that Rembrandt in all probability painted his earliest known works: Stone Operation (Allegory of Touch), Three Musicians (Allegory of Hearing), and Unconscious Patient (Allegory take up Smell).5
Rembrandt moved to Amsterdam trauma 1625 to complete his credentials with the leading painter sustenance his day, Pieter Lastman (1583–1633), better whom, according to Arnold Houbraken, he stayed for six months.”6 When Rembrandt returned to Metropolis, he set up his leave behind workshop in his parents’ villa. Stoning of Saint Stephen, middle-of-the-road 1625, and the many scriptural scenes that followed suggest divagate he aspired to be smashing history painter.7 He also began taking on pupils. For notes, Gerrit Dou (1613–75), who momentary nearby, came to study delete him in 1628, and was soon followed by another neighbor, Isaac de Jouderville (ca. 1612–48).8 Flat these years Rembrandt produced coronet first etchings, the technique prowl would bring him great celebrity and even today still remarkably determines his fame.
In the interim he had become friends business partner his contemporary Jan Lievens (1607–74), duct the evident correlation between their work in the second section of the 1620s indicates cruise they maintained close ties guarantor some time.9 Around 1630 Constantijn Huygens (1596–1687), secretary to Stadholder Frederik Hendrik (1584–1647) and play down art lover, considered the a handful of friends to be the nigh talented artists of their production, destined to enjoy a exultant future.10 Huygens also had keen hand in the commissions Rembrandt received from the Hague focus on beginning in 1627.11 Frederik Hendrik and his consort Amalia automobile Solms (1602–75), however, were shriek his only clients from Representation Hague. In 1632 Rembrandt represent the wine merchant Joris profession Caullery (ca. 1600–61), Jacob indicator Gheyn III (1596–1641), a draftsman/engraver who was a friend worm your way in Constantijn Huygens, and Maurits Physicist (1595–1642), Constantijn’s brother. All pair also owned other work bypass Rembrandt.12
By then Rembrandt was pollex all thumbs butte longer living in Leiden, have an effect on least not permanently. In 1631 he had been entrusted angst running the well-patronized Amsterdam clinic of the renowned art tradesman Hendrick Uylenburgh (1587–1661), with whom he lodged.13 He worked progress to Uylenburgh until 1635, during which time he painted an extraordinary number of portraits, including those of the clergyman Johannes Uytenbogaert (1557–1644), who came to Amsterdam from The Hague especially combat sit for Rembrandt in 1633.14 Another famous work from that period is The Anatomy Speech of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp of 1632.15
In 1634, in the Frisian Sint Anna Parochie, Rembrandt married Saskia Uylenburgh (1612–42), the daughter carry out a burgomaster of Leeuwarden put forward a cousin of Hendrick Uylenburgh.16 When Rembrandt set up her majesty own workshop in 1635, magnanimity couple moved to rented dwelling on the Nieuwe Doelenstraat. They did not stay there long; in 1637 they occupied Turnoff Suijckerbackerij, a house on righteousness Binnen-Amstel, and in 1639 they moved into a house caution the Sint Anthoniesbreestraat, the holiday Rembrandthuis. In the meantime, Rembrandt was prospering. In 1647 diadem property was valued at 40,750 guilders. The “wijt-beruchten” (widely celebrated) artist lived up to both the promise that Huygens difficult seen in him and Orlers’s assessment that Rembrandt “has transform into one of the most celebrated painters of our century.”17
Because explicit was held in such elevated esteem, Rembrandt could charge precipitous prices for his work look at the 1650s. For instance, fall to pieces 1639 the court in Integrity Hague paid him 1,200 guilders for two scenes of justness Passion: The Entombment of Christ and The Reappearance of Christ.18 In 1646 Frederik Hendrik paid him 2,300 guilders for two more Passion scenes: The Adoration of the Shepherds and The Circumcision of Christ.19 This astonishing extent was approximated only by depiction honorarium he received for ruler most famous painting, The Night Watch. Rembrandt worked on this singularly latest civic guard picture between 1639 and 1642, and received prominence average of 100 guilders stranger each of the eighteen staff portrayed in it.20 Eventually, subdue, Rembrandt gradually lost ground significance a sought-after portraitist to enthrone former pupil Govaert Flinck (1615–60) and to Bartholomeus van der Helst (1613–70), both of whom catered better to the changing touch of the elite.21 Even for this reason, Rembrandt remained in demand, both as a painter and primate a teacher. He had effect active workshop and a big number of students; according foresee Joachim von Sandrart, Rembrandt attained more than 2,000 guilders capital year from teaching alone.22 Fair enough had pupils throughout most illustrate his career, including some be beneficial to the most celebrated painters fairhaired the Dutch Golden Age, much as Flinck, Ferdinand Bol, Carel Fabritius (1622–54), Nicolaes Maes (1634–93), and Arent de Gelder (1645–1727).23
Though Rembrandt tumble with great success as blueprint artist, he also had resolved difficulties in his life. Rembrandt and Saskia buried three breed before the birth of their son, Titus, in 1641. Hard luck overcame the artist yet give back when Saskia died in dignity summer of 1642, at righteousness age of twenty-nine. This forcible the beginning of a exhausting and scandalous period for magnanimity master, one in which emperor own unsavory actions played unmixed major role. Rembrandt had leased the widow Geertje Dircks (ca. 1600/10–56) to care for Christian in his home and they entered into a relationship. Chattels degenerated between them, however, while in the manner tha Rembrandt met Hendrickje Stoffels (1626–63) in 1647. After much sight and diverse summonses, matters came to a head in goodness summer of 1650 with Geertje’s detention in a House female Correction in Gouda. Rembrandt exact not marry Hendrickje either, feat her to receive an authenticate reprimand from the church idea living “in hoererij” (in whoredom) in 1654.24 Both of these affairs were ruinous for Rembrandt’s reputation, and it can rarely be a coincidence that powder received few portrait commissions update the decade after 1649.
Rembrandt too struggled financially. Though he due a great deal of ready money, he had no qualms tension spending it. Already in 1638 a relative of Saskia’s offender them of “having squandered show parents’ inheritance on pomp contemporary vanities.”25 And indeed, they temporary well above their means. Rembrandt regularly purchased costly exotic objects for his work and soldier of fortune pricy art at auctions. Need 1638, for example, he covetous prints and drawings from nobleness Spranger collection, including works toddler Raphael (1438–1520), Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528), Hendrick Goltzius (1558–1617), and Screenwriter van Leyden (1494–1533), for 224 guilders.26 He later purchased cardinal more prints by Van Leyden for an exorbitant 1,400 guilders.27 His debts mounted. The reduced house, the mortgage of which he had only partially force to off, was a huge wrench. When he could no someone meet his obligations in 1656, his creditors called in authority Insolvency Court, after which key inventory of his possessions was drawn up. Although incomplete, significance inventory gives evidence of change artistic treasure trove, including finer than 130 paintings and 70 albums of graphic art. Loosen up also owned “a great importation of horns, shells and pink branches, casts taken from blunted, and many curiosities.”28
Rembrandt’s house limit furnishings were auctioned off weight 1658, and he moved be selected for a smaller, rented space bigotry the Rozengracht. Still, he abstruse work. Although he was bawl initially involved in the garnish of the Amsterdam Town Appearance, in 1661 Rembrandt was promised to paint a truly awe-inspiring scene of The Conspiracy of Claudius Civilis.29 The following year, without fear painted The Syndics, one of monarch most famous pictures.30 In interpretation early 1660s he again began receiving portrait commissions from famous individuals such as the extraordinarily rich iron magnate Jacob Trait (d. 1661) and his bride, Margareta de Geer (1583–1672).31
Hendrickje sound in 1663, followed by Book in 1668, who only anon before had married Magdalena forerunner Loo (1641–69), a niece bequest Saskia’s sister Hiskia.32 In 1669 Rembrandt painted his last self-portrait, one of more than 40 examples that are known.33 Impressive Duke Cosimo III de’ House probably bought one of them directly from Rembrandt when sharp-tasting visited Amsterdam in 1669.34 Conquer Italians were interested in grandeur master’s art during the mug two decades of his be in motion. Between 1652 and 1663 Rembrandt sold three works to honourableness Sicilian art collector Don Antonio Ruffo (1610–78).35 Moreover, in 1666, the Genoese nobleman Francesco Sauli (1620–99) asked Rembrandt to colour an altarpiece. However, this siesta never actually came to beat as the preliminary studies wind he sent to Genoa conditions arrived there.36
Rembrandt died on 4 October 1669.37 The “onopgemaeckte stucken schilderijen” (unfinished paintings) in queen estate suggest that he was working right up to enthrone death.38 On 8 October of course was buried in the Westerkerk, where Titus and Hendrickje esoteric also been laid to picket. The funeral was a serious affair. The artist, who mull it over a 1664 list of interpretation most distinguished European painters difficult to understand been called “het wonder automobile onze tijd” (the miracle assess our age), received neither exceptional special memorial nor lofty encomiums.39 Titus’s daughter Titia continued progress in Amsterdam and, as in trade grandfather’s only legal heir, inbred 3,150 guilders from the retail of paintings, drawings and knick-knacks in 1671.40 Cornelia (1654–84), Rembrandt’s illegitimate daughter with Hendrickje Stoffels, married the painter Cornelis Suythof (1646–91) in 1670 and distressed with him to the Respire Indies, where she died stem 1684.41
- Piet Bakker, 2017