Creative Suite

Artist Profile: Rembrandt

July 4th, 2007

Rembrandt is considered as one of the greatest painters ever to come out from Europe. He was a master painter and etcher renowned all over the world for the emotions and motive that he was able to recreate in his many artworks. Rembrandt was born Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn on the 15th July, 1606, in Leiden in the Netherlands. He was the eighth of nine children of Harmen Gerritszoon van Rijn and his wife, Neeltje van Suijttbroeck. Among his family, he was the first and the only one of the sons that was sent to the school to learn Latin.

Rembrandt went into the Philosophical Faculty of Leiden University to study Classics after seven years of schooling. His short stint at the university ended with starting a period of apprenticeship under Jacob Isaacszoon van Swanenburgh, an Italy-trained painter. After a short apprenticeship with Pieter Lastman in Amsterdam, Rembrandt decided to open up a studio in Leiden, which he then shared with his friend and colleague Jan Lievens. It was in 1627, Rembrandt began to accept students, among them Gerrit Dou. In was sometime during the year 1629 that Rembrandt was discovered by the statesman and poet Constantijn Huygens, who was the father of Christiaan Huygens who, himself, was a known Dutch mathematician and physicist. It was he who looked for and gave important commissions to Rembrandt from the court of the Hague. And because of this important connection, Prince Frederik Hendrik became a frequent customer and continued to buy paintings from Rembrandt for a long period of time.

By 1631, Rembrandt had established such a good reputation as well as an impressive display of his painting talent that he was able to receive quite a number of assignments for portraits in Amsterdam. Along the way Rembrandt was able to create and produce over 600 paintings and nearly 400 etchings. He also was able to make about 2000 drawings during his time, making him one of the most prolific artists of his time. He is a master of creating self-portraits, producing almost a hundred of them along with 20 other etchings of himself as the subject. It gave art historians as well as art lovers today a more detailed look at the man and his appearance as well as the psychological make up shown by his detailed and richly-weathered face.

Although Rembrandt was able to experience fame and fortune during his time, he was also guilty of living a life well beyond his means. This caused probably his bankruptcy in 1656. In order to pay up his debts, it led the painter to auction quite a number of his paintings. He also had to go as far as selling his house and his printing-press. Rembrandt died on October 4, 1669 in Amsterdam. Sadly, the great painter was buried in an unmarked grave in Westerkerk, not fitting for the great talent that had given the world some of the most captivating artworks that has withstood the test of time.

Entry Filed under: Artists