Rembrandt life. Late period of creativity
Early years
Understanding the basics
Return
Painting
Customers
Self-portraits
Anatomy lesson
Portrait of Silvius
Beautiful Danae
Application
Early years
The miracle child was born in 1606, in the city of Leiden, in the house of the miller Harmen van Rijn. At baptism he was named pretty rare name Rembrandt. Although the family already had five children, the birth of the sixth did not upset, but delighted the parents. The father of the family was a quite wealthy man: in addition to the mill and malthouse, he had two houses, and he took a good dowry for his wife.
The boy spent his first years at his native mill, on the banks of the Rhine branch (his family got their surname from the name of this river). He probably had the opportunity to watch the rays of the sun more than once as they, making their way through the dormer window of the mill shed, pierced small particles of flour dust with golden stripes. Perhaps these childhood experiences taught him those magical effects of light and shadow that later immortalized his name. Admiring the quiet waves of his native river in the evening, illuminated by the amber sunset, and the shades of transparent fog rising from its smooth surface, Rembrandt for the first time guessed the secrets of color, which he alone knew how to give to paintings.
The whole atmosphere and spirit of the burgher Dutch family of that time was supposed to develop strong, integral characters, cheerful and cheerful in daily life, firm in times of misfortune and sadness. Raised in strict rules religion, the Dutch sought entertainment and relaxation from hard work in a close family circle and reading the Bible.
For the brilliant teenager, the streets and markets of Leiden provided a field for observation; here he met all kinds of types, which he transferred to paper with an inept hand. A dark-skinned Persian faced a blond Englishman. People of all nations, characters, social provisions passed before the boy’s curious eyes like the colorful pictures of a kaleidoscope. The outskirts of the city, although not particularly picturesque, were not without their own peculiar beauty.
After completing a course at a public school, Rembrandt's older brothers apprenticed with artisans. Old man Harmen intended his youngest son for a different activity. The boy attended a Latin school; later his father wanted to give him access to the university so that he could, upon reaching adulthood, “benefit his native city and fatherland with his knowledge.”
This view of Rembrandt's father was no exception. In their culture and education, just as in the organization of their social system, the Dutch in the 17th century were ahead of the rest of Europe by as much as two hundred years.
The Dutch held science in high esteem. When the people of Leiden were asked to choose a reward, they asked for a university to be founded in the city. Its fame was so great that foreign sovereigns considered it an honor to study here.
Rembrandt had little interest in science; he was drawn to painting. As soon as Rembrandt's father noticed his son's inclination, he immediately gave him the opportunity to follow his calling.
Understanding the basics
At about 16 years old, the young man entered his first teacher, his relative Jacob van Swanenbuerch - an artist, now completely forgotten. In three years, young Rembrandt acquired the initial skills of his art. We do not know how Van Swanenburch treated the young student, what moral and aesthetic influence he had on the future creator of The Anatomy Lesson. These first student years did not leave the slightest trace in the chronicles of that time. In Rembrandt's works, the influence of two other teachers is rather noticeable - Joris van Schooten and Jan Peinas.
Joris was at one time a fairly well-known painter of a naturalistic, realistic direction. He painted portraits of burgomasters, paintings depicting meetings of various corporations. His painting is distinguished by its originality. It is probably to him that Rembrandt owes the development of those qualities that reveal all his creations; a subtle understanding of nature, the desire to depict reality as it is, the ability to convey a powerful stream of life on a dead canvas.
Jan Peynas enjoyed the reputation of a wonderful colorist. It is believed that Rembrandt adopted from him those warm, although somewhat gloomy tones, that powerful and at the same time soft range of shades that still give the paintings of the genius an irresistible charm. In any case, Peynas's lighting is slightly reminiscent of Rembrandt's.
Then, for six months, the young artist found himself in the workshop of the Amsterdam painter Pieter Lastman, from whom he learned engraving.
Return
Twenty-year-old Rembrandt is back in his hometown. Here he continued his studies alone, under the guidance only of his genius and Mother Nature. The first paintings that have come down to us date back to 1627: one of them is “Apostle Peter in Prison”, the other is “The Money Changer”. These are youthful attempts, not of particular interest; but in the second picture, in the amazingly beautiful light emanating from the candle, half obscured by the money changer’s hand, one can already recognize the future Rembrandt.
Along with painting, the young van Rijn was diligently engaged in engraving. One of his first engravings is a portrait of his mother, marked 1628. It is clear that a loving hand worked on these engravings. During this era of his artistic career, Rembrandt engraved the image of his mother several times. The most remarkable of these prints is known as Rembrandt's Black Veiled Mother. A respectable old lady sits in a chair in front of the table; her hands, which have worked a lot in her lifetime, are folded on her knees. The face expresses the calmness that only comes from the consciousness of a life lived correctly and honestly, fulfilled by duty. The finishing of the engraving is truly amazing: every wrinkle, every knotted vein on the wrinkled old hands is full of life and truth.
Rembrandt's favorite subject of observation was the reflection of a person's inner, spiritual life on his face. He never missed an opportunity to reproduce such an expression on paper or board.
True, during these years (1627-1628) he had not yet painted those portraits that his admirers and connoisseurs so admired and admire. Therefore, besides two portraits of the mother, there are only a few engraved images of the artist himself.
In one of the prints we see a rather ugly young man with a full face framed by thick hair. But the features breathe such cheerfulness, self-confident strength and good nature that they involuntarily inspire sympathy. The second engraving, entitled “Man in a Cropped Beret,” shows the same face, only with an expression of horror: the eyes are almost out of their sockets, the mouth is half open, the turn of the head indicates severe fright.
Rembrandt often used his face for sketches: it was cheap and convenient way exercise: the sitter did not demand anything for his work and willingly submitted to the whims of the artist. They say that while sitting in front of the mirror, young van Rijn gave different expressions to his face: anger, joy, sadness, amazement - and tried to copy his face as faithfully as possible. Throughout his life, Rembrandt did not give up this habit - many museums in Europe contain his self-portraits, in which he depicted himself at different ages and in all kinds of costumes.
Painting
The idea of leaving the native nest. The life of a small provincial town, with its simple morals and narrow outlook, was too petty and cramped for the powerful soul of a twenty-four-year-old boy. He wanted to see the light, to live among the noise and space big city, turn around in freedom. He decided to move to Amsterdam.
Old city was very picturesque. Unfolding in a wide fan along the banks of the Amstel River. it was surrounded by elegant dachas and green gardens. There were many elements that provided food for inspiration, a motley crowd, a variety of images, a rich selection of types.
At the beginning of 1631, full of hope and hope, Rembrandt began a new life. When, tired of work, he threw down his palette and brush and went to wander through the streets and squares of the city, Amsterdam aroused in his receptive soul a thousand hitherto unknown impressions. This center of civilization seemed like a second Venice, only more lively and noisy, without the gloomy aristocratic palaces, without the mysterious greenish twilight of the canals and the radiant azure of the Adriatic.
Completely different, although no less a picturesque picture represented the shopping areas and the harbor of Amsterdam. The ships arriving here unloaded goods from all over the world. Oriental fabrics lay next to mirrors and porcelain; graceful statues and vases of Italy gleamed white against the dark background of Nuremberg furniture. The colorful wings of tropical birds and parrots glittered in the sun; nimble monkeys made faces among the bales. All this Babylonian pandemonium of foreign wealth, all this chaos was softened by an abundance of flowers. Harmony was restored thanks to the many hyacinths, tulips, daffodils and roses that Harlem gardeners brought to the market every day.
The young man spent whole hours in dark shops and was always a welcome guest. The owner found for him, among heaps of all kinds of rubbish, rare things, rich weapons, ancient jewelry, luxurious outfits. Rembrandt could buy all this for half the price. Often during such visits, the famous painter sketched or engraved the expressive face of one of the members of the merchant's family, which struck him with beauty or originality.
Customers
Rembrandt's paintings and engravings found buyers locally and began to penetrate abroad. In a very short time, the artist managed to secure a completely comfortable existence for himself; he earned so much that he could even buy and collect rare and expensive objects. In 1631, Rembrandt painted two works - “Candlemas” and “ Holy family". The latter makes a somewhat strange impression. We see not the modest home of a Nazareth carpenter, but a room in the house of a rich burgher in Harlem or Sardam. The Holy Virgin is a plump, blooming Dutch woman in a costume of the 17th century. The face of the baby who fell asleep on her lap is also type of pure northerner.
Everything in this picture - both the setting and the types - contradicts modern concepts of historical fidelity and truth of life. But it’s worth looking closely at this family scene, and all discussions about the theory of art give way to a feeling of meek tenderness - there is so much poetry and spiritual beauty in this group gathered near the poor cradle of the Savior, such naive grace in the pose of a sleeping child, so much love and tenderness in the gaze the young mother and in her smile... St. Joseph inquisitively and thoughtfully peers into the baby’s features, as if foreseeing the thorny path that he will have to follow. All the light of the picture is concentrated on the figure of the sleeping Jesus, only individual rays glide over Mary’s chest and neck, over Joseph’s face and over the modest bed.
Having chosen a subject, Rembrandt immersed himself in it, became imbued with the slightest details, and subjected it to the most comprehensive discussion. Usually the first draft did not satisfy him. And Rembrandt, instead of changing and redoing, completely abandoned the damaged prints and started all over again. Thus, from under his brush or chisel, new, original reproductions of the same theme appeared. The artist did not entrust the printing of his engravings to anyone: with each print he added a few strokes to the drawing, achieving new effects, either strengthening or weakening the tone. Therefore, photographs of the same engraving often differ from each other in small details. Even in this mechanical work Rembrandt's genius is visible.
Probably, in these early years the young artist had a lot of free time - he painted a whole series of self-portraits. But these works are no longer the first experiments of a brilliant student, but completely finished works.
Self-portraits
What made Rembrandt paint his image so much and often? Perhaps he was guided by the very understandable and legitimate desire of a person who feels his superiority over the exact, aware of something extraordinary in his soul, to pass on to his descendants his appearance, the desire not to disappear without a trace, not as an artist, but as a person? Perhaps he wanted to attract the attention of art lovers who visited his workshop, and thereby increase the number of orders?
Knowing Rembrandt’s modest and rather careless than calculating character, one can hardly assume that he was driven solely by pride and self-interest. Rather, such a proud and powerful man as Rembrandt, who even for the sake of his daily bread in days of extreme poverty and need did not compromise his views and habits, simply could not submit to the whims of sitters and models.
In a very short time, his workshop became the center of the artistic world of Amsterdam. Rich citizens constantly turned to him with orders, despite the fact that, according to his contemporaries, he not only had to pay a lot of money for the work, but also ask and beg him to take it on.
Anatomy lesson
A year after his move to Amsterdam, Rembrandt created one of his greatest works, The Anatomy Lesson. If the creator of “The Night Watch”, “The Descent from the Cross” and other outstanding paintings had written only this “Lesson”, it would have been enough for the glory of one of the first painters of the era.
In the 17th century in Holland, where painting flourished from the very beginning of the Renaissance, members of individual corporations willingly commissioned collective portraits. Surgeons especially adhered to this custom. Before the Reformation, surgery languished under the yoke of medieval religious despotism. Only in the middle of the 16th century did doctors gain the right to study their specialty openly, without fear of punishment or persecution. A law allowing the dissection of human bodies for anatomical research was promulgated in 1555. Special rooms were allocated for dissections with a scientific chain; they were called anatomical theaters.
In 1632, the department of anatomy in Amsterdam was occupied by the doctor and scientist Nicholas Tulp. Wanting to receive his portrait as a souvenir of their beloved professor, members of the corporation of surgeons turned to the painter with a request to take on this work. Such portraits, according to the custom of the era, were painted according to the accepted template: everyone was placed around a table or stood in one row so that each face was equally visible to the audience.
But any routine was alien to genius. Until now, none of his brothers have achieved in portraiture that unconstrained naturalness and truth that amazes in The Anatomy Lesson. This conversation piece breathes freshness, vigor and strength. It was created by the hand of not only a great master, but also a deep psychologist and expert on the human soul.
From the facial expressions in the portrait it is easy to guess the character of each person, to read the feelings and thoughts that excite him. Doctor Tulp stands over a body lying on the operating table. He demonstrates the naked muscles of his arm, and involuntarily, out of habit typical of anatomists, moves his own fingers, as if confirming the explanation of the muscles’ activity. The doctor's face is serious and calm; he consciously and confidently conveys to his listeners scientific conclusions that are already quite clear and undeniable to him.
Seven surgeons huddled around the lecturer in a tight circle. In the foreground, next to Tulp, are three young people. One of them, apparently nearsighted, carefully examines the exposed muscles; the second, as if struck by the professor’s arguments, raised his eyes to him; finally, the third, trying to discern the movement of Tulp’s hand, intently follows the lecturer’s explanations
Behind this first group are four more surgeons. A little behind the professor, a middle-aged man is diligently taking notes on the lecture; his hand stopped mid-sentence: he was apparently considering how to more accurately express his thought. Near the table, leaning on it with his hand, a handsome young man stood half-turned towards the audience. He is a skeptic: there is an almost mocking smile on his lips. Of the other figures, the extreme one is full of expression: the man is already mature, probably having encountered many difficulties and unresolved problems in his activities as a doctor. It is written in profile: with his eyes fixed on Tulpa, it seems that he has turned entirely into hearing, trying not to miss a single word.
A bright and at the same time soft light spreads across the picture: the dark tones that Rembrandt later loved to use are nowhere to be seen. This illumination seems to personify the radiance of science, expelling all darkness and penetrating into the most remote corners.
For almost two hundred years, the “Anatomy Lesson” was located in the building where the voice of free science first sounded in free Holland. In 182, King William I bought this pearl of the Dutch school for 32 thousand florins (Rembrandt received only 700 guilders) and donated it art gallery in The Hague.
The news that the just completed portrait of Tulpe and his listeners had already been handed over to customers and was decorating the walls of the anatomical theater quickly spread throughout the city. Crowds of curious people besieged the audience, rushing to admire Rembrandt's new work. His fame grew, and with it the number of orders: every resident of the city who had at least some income wanted to receive a portrait of his work, at least engraved on copper.
Portrait of Silvius
The then famous preacher Jan Cornelis Silvius was one of the first to contact the artist. At their first meeting, Rembrandt felt deep respect and sympathy for the venerable pastor. He immediately set to work at the depot and was especially diligent in fulfilling the order.
Soon the first prints arrived, but they did not satisfy the young artist. It seemed to him that his new friend’s face turned out to be too cold and lifeless, that he could not capture that combination of thoughtful severity and warm-hearted kindness that he so liked in the pastor.
I had to take on the depot again. Rembrandt enhanced the shadows: more life appeared in the face, it became more prominent, but the subtlety of the work, the integrity of the impression suffered. Nevertheless, the artist decided to hand over the work to the customer: he sent him all four prints with the most sincere letter. The old man was very pleased with the portrait. He was touched by the delicacy of the master, who gave him four sheets instead of one. Captivated by the cheerful, lively character of the young man, the strict preacher treated him friendly and introduced him into the family, where Rembrandt soon became his own man. Here he met twelve-year-old Saskia.
Beautiful Danae
The myth about this fairy-tale princess has come to us from the distant past, and the brush of the great artist created one of the most poetic canvases in world painting based on this plot.
The Greek oracle predicted to King Acrisius that he would die at the hands of his grandson. The king, who feared death, having heard such a tragic prediction, decided to imprison his only daughter Danae in a tower, and placed the most ferocious dogs in the kingdom to guard her. But the powerful Zeus saw the girl, fell in love with her and, turning into golden rain, entered the dungeon...
A jubilant stream of golden color brightly illuminates the figure of the naked Danae. The girl is waiting for her lover, rejoicing and at the same time timid in front of Zeus, she reaches out to meet love, and in her eyes there is a call, a premonition of happiness... Such a perfect naked female body, tremulous, warm, alive and beautiful, could only be painted by a person blinded by love.
This picture is a hymn to youth and beauty, a hymn to Woman. Looking at the canvas, you begin to understand how beautiful and eternal Woman and Love are. But few people know how complex and dramatic the fate of the painting and the fate of the genius who painted it is...
1631 Amsterdam. The still unknown young Rembrandt van Rijn wanders through the cobbled streets of the capital. He is only twenty-five, and he is overwhelmed with youthful ambitions - the son of the Leiden miller Harmen van Rijn went through the school of the Leiden masters Swaneburg and Lyman and dreams of conquering the capital, already seeing crowds of enthusiastic fans at his feet.
Surprisingly, he succeeds, although not right away. At first, orders do not come through - wealthy burghers do not want and do not like to waste money, because in Amsterdam no one knows Rembrandt yet. But the situation suddenly changes. It only took a year for people to start talking admiringly about the young artist.
In 1632, he exhibited his new painting “The Anatomy Lesson of Doctor Tulpe,” which brought him real success! Instantly Rembrandt becomes fashionable artist- now he has no shortage of customers, and among them there are many quite wealthy and influential people.
Everything is going very well: youth, success, money and an indomitable desire to draw...
One day Rembrandt was invited to the house of the art dealer Hendrik van Uylenburgh.
In a noisy fun company young people, he saw the one who struck his heart forever - young Saskia, Hendrik's cousin.
Although Saskia was not a beauty in in every sense this word - a short neck, small eyes, plump cheeks, but her manner of communicating with people, her soft melodious voice, and simply her fresh, charming youth made her unusually charming in the eyes of young people. In addition, Rembrandt was struck by her intelligence and liveliness, and he began to intensively court the girl; moreover, she was from a very rich family, among her relatives were high-ranking officials and pastors, merchants and shipowners.
Then there were several more meetings in Amsterdam's high society, and Rembrandt finally made his choice. He could no longer imagine himself without this girl. The artist makes her an official proposal, which is happily accepted, and in 1634 the young people are legally married.
This is how the most happy years Rembrandt's life. Saskia not only gave her husband her selfless love, but also brought a significant dowry and introduced him into the highest circles of the Amsterdam burghers.
Orders poured in one after another, the name of Rembrandt was mentioned with admiration in almost every home, and by that time he himself had already become a quite wealthy man and could surround his wife with brilliance and luxury - he bought her expensive dresses, jewelry and did everything so that Saskia’s family would not considered their marriage unequal.
About them family life no archives have survived - no diaries, no notes, no letters to each other, no eyewitness accounts, but the fact that she was filled with happiness is evidenced by numerous portraits, drawings and engravings made by Rembrandt.
Money allowed the young husband not to skimp, and he enthusiastically began to collect in his house a wide variety of antique rarities, paintings, engravings, etchings, carpets, Japanese vases - whatever was not in his collection.
But, of course, Rembrandt's main treasure is Saskia. And it was she who inspired the artist to create one of his best works - the creation of “Danae”.
There is so much personal, so much love and frankness in this painting that the artist decided never to sell this canvas - after all, it was a symbol of their boundless love and their extraordinary happiness.
But the happiness turned out to be short-lived, fortune at some point turned away from the family, and a series of tragic events; at the beginning of 1636, the newborn first son Rumbartus dies, then the same sad fate befalls two daughters born one after another,
Mourning reigned in the house: it was difficult to draw, it was difficult to look at the constantly tearful, but still beloved and dear Saskia, money gradually flowed away. But the belief remained that someday happiness would return to the house, and God would have mercy on them.
That's how it all happened: Saskia became pregnant again and in 1641, finally, gave birth to a healthy child - a son, Titus.
The happy father regained the desire to create, and during this period a whole series of drawings appeared, as well as the famous painting - Saskia, after giving birth, plays in bed with Titus.
The artist was overwhelmed by this theme - the theme of mother and child.
It seemed that everything was getting better, luck was again on his side, but again happiness did not linger - frequent childbirth undermined Saskia’s health, she began to get sick, almost did not get out of bed, and nine months after the birth of her son, the young woman died. She was only thirty !
Rembrandt fell into a severe depression - after all, Saskia took with her all the colors of the world.
But one day, when the artist was sitting in his studio, and his soul was especially sad and sick, he heard a woman’s voice:
Drink, master, you will immediately feel better.
In front of him stood Titus' nanny, whom Saskia had hired during her lifetime. And Rembrandt, unexpectedly for himself, suddenly felt that he liked this woman - his heart began to pound, as once upon a meeting with Saskia.
Geertje Dirks, the widow of a ship's trumpeter, was a young, healthy and quite attractive woman, and not without cunning. Gradually, she firmly reigned not only in the owner’s bedroom, but also took all the power in his house.
Geertje was not at all like the aristocrat Saskia - she was a woman of the people, in whom earthly passions were seething. But Rembrandt seemed to like it. Geertje increasingly appeared on his canvases, and naked. Her lush, dense, earthly flesh filled the canvases with sensuality and lust.
And the moment came when Rembrandt decided to rewrite “Danae”. In the previous painting, Danae was wrapped in the finest linen - after all, the artist was posing for his beloved, so tender and pure Saskia, and he did not want anyone but him to admire the beauty of her body. But the simple, rude Gertje, who managed to awaken carnal passions in him, could well be exposed to the eyes of strangers.
This is how a new Danae is born on Rembrandt’s canvas - ready for caresses and love games, sensual, ardent, she is waiting for her lover, wanting to give him everything earthly pleasures. And this new Danae has Gertier's facial features (Saskia could not be so overtly sexual).
Years passed. Rembrandt worked a lot. His son Titus was growing up. And Gertje, who had grown fat from her master’s grub, felt like a sovereign mistress and was tormented by only one thought - why doesn’t her master marry her? She gave her whole life to Rembrandt, and he, it seems, had no intention of calling her his wife.
Soon the artist was summoned to the “Chamber of Family Quarrels” (such an institution existed in Amsterdam in the 17th century) and was ordered to pay Mrs. Dirks 200 guilders annually. At that time, it was a considerable sum, but Rembrandt was ready to do anything just to get rid of the nasty and scandalous woman. All tender feelings for her have long passed, especially since a new maid appeared in the house - Hendrikje Stoffels, the daughter of a soldier who served on the border with Westphalia. She turned out to be modest, sweet, kind, and soon this quiet, devoted girl won not only the artist’s heart, but also everyone in the house.
Rembrandt sincerely fell in love with her and for the first time after Saskia wanted to legitimize the relationship. But, unfortunately, this was impossible - according to the terms of Saskia’s will, having married, he was deprived of the right to manage the property of his son Titus and use his income.
But Hendrikje did not expect or demand anything, the main thing was that they were together, and she could give Rembrandt her youth, peace and happiness, and in 1654, her daughter, her beloved Cornelia.
Rembrandt did not remain in debt, although he could not shower his beloved with jewelry or money - they became less and less in these years, but he painted an amazing gallery of her portraits.
And one day, on a quiet, calm evening, when they were sitting in the studio and talking about something, he suddenly stood up sharply, walked up to “Danae” and, glancing at her, picked up paints and a brush, immediately giving the fairy-tale princess features Hendrickje.
This is how the third version of this mysterious and beautiful painting appeared.
Meanwhile, Amsterdam society was seething - the burghers were outraged by the lifestyle of the artist who had long since become famous. His maid, a harlot and an adulteress, lives with him in sin! But the real scandal erupted after rumors spread that the pregnant Hendrickje posed for the artist for the painting Bathing Bathsheba.
The girl was summoned to the Calvinian consistory and demanded to leave the artist, threatening, otherwise, to excommunicate her.
Now it is difficult to imagine what it meant for the young woman to be excommunicated from evening communion - it was a terrible shame.
But Hendrikje, despite her quiet, pliable disposition, sharply refused - after all, nothing could compete with her boundless love, and she still continued to live with Rembrandt.
The family had a hard time. The prosperous and well-fed years were a thing of the past, no one bought Rembrandt’s paintings anymore, and gradually he had to sell off all the treasures - carpets, weapons, vases, paintings that he collected with such love.
In 1656, Rembrandt was finally declared bankrupt. "Inventory of paintings, furniture and household utensils, belonging to Rembrandt van Rijn, who lives on Breestraat Street near St. Anthony's Lock," tax officials conscientiously described Rembrandt's property. In one of the paragraphs of the inventory, next to the skins of a lion and lioness and two colorful dresses, it says " big picture"Danae."
The canvas, which the artist never parted with, went into the indifferent hands of others.
And then the family lost their house itself - it was bought by a shoemaker neighbor - and moved to one of the poorest areas of Amsterdam.
Misfortunes and losses continued to haunt them. Unable to withstand these difficult life trials, Hendrickje died in 1663, followed by Titus - he had recently married the charming Magdalena van Lo, who could not live without her husband and did not survive him for long.
Everyone whom Rembrandt loved left the artist, leaving only two girls - daughter Cornelia and little granddaughter Titia.
Time moved inexorably forward, and health also inexorably went away. Rembrandt weakened, living in terrible poverty and humiliation. But the harsher his fate, the more wisdom and depth his art acquired.
His death did not arouse any interest in Amsterdam - just think, there are many such artists in Holland whose paintings are even sold in markets along with game, meat and fish!
And no one thought then that the country had lost one of its greatest sons...
What about "Danae"? In whose hands did Rembrandt's most beloved canvas fall?
Having changed several owners, at the beginning of the 17th century it ended up in the collection of the French banker Pierre Croz, and after his death it was inherited by his nephew Baron Thiers, and only in 1770 was it sold. Among the new owners of Crozat's treasures was the Russian Empress Catherine II, who collected her collection of paintings with great enthusiasm.
Finally, “Danae” has found a worthy place for itself - in the halls of the Hermitage. Once here, she immediately aroused heated debate; where is the golden shower, why is the little cupid crying on her bed, why is there a ring on the finger of her left hand? Then it's not Danae at all! Or maybe Delilah waiting for Samson, or the biblical Hagar?
All questions were put to rest quite recently, when Rembrandt’s masterpiece was studied using X-rays. Having illuminated the canvas, the amazed scientists saw another under one picture! In the first version, Saskia was depicted with a ring on her finger, as befits a married lady, and her body was shyly covered with a light veil. The artist tore it off when Geertje Dirks appeared, which is probably why the little cupid is crying, mourning his lost love and the wonderful Saskia.
But the story didn't end there. On a sunny Saturday, July 15, 1985, the young man Brunas Meigis, who arrived in Leningrad from Kaunas, went to the Hermitage and immediately went to the Rembrandt room. Approaching the "Danae", he pulled out a knife and shouted "Freedom to Lithuania!" attacked her. Having cut the painting, he also poured a liter of sulfuric acid on it. The shocked museum employees were dumbfounded - something like this had never happened in the museum! The mad vandal was arrested, and during interrogation he said that he had read an article in the Ogonyok magazine that this was “the main painting in the main Soviet museum.” In the perverted consciousness of the Lithuanian, Rembrandt's masterpiece turned into a kind of symbol of the Russian empire, which oppressed the Lithuanians.
While the police were taking Maygis away from the Hermitage, museum staff watched in horror as streams of acid flowed across the painting, corroding the paint layer and the canvas. Restorers and the best chemists in the city were urgently called. The mutilated painting was transferred to the laboratory, washed and they began to think about what to do with it - after all, the acid left terrible grooves, in addition, Danae’s thighs and stomach were cut with a knife.
As a result of heated debates, we came to a compromise solution - what was completely damaged should not be restored, and what could be restored should be restored. And the restorers managed to save the painting after the insane act of vandalism.
Rembrandt's masterpiece still delights visitors to the Hermitage, and everyone, approaching it, again feels the charm of female beauty and the charm of anticipation of a miracle. And, of course, he admires the skill of the great Dutchman Rembrandt von Rijn, whose 400th anniversary was celebrated last year by all connoisseurs of immortal art.
Rembrandt Harmens van Rijn- one of the most famous artists peace. Born July 15, 1606 in Leiden (Netherlands, South Holland). He apprenticed for several years with a Leiden painter, and then studied the intricacies of painting with Pieter Lastman in Amsterdam, who in turn studied in Italy. It was Lastman who first introduced Rembrandt to the art of chiaroscuro, the effects of conveying volume, depth, and the drama of the plot.
Rembrandt is a true and unsurpassed master of biblical and mythological themes, portraiture and rendering. After he moved to Amsterdam in 1631 (1632), he soon gained real fame talented artist. The painting “The Anatomy Lesson of Doctor Tulpe” brought him fame and recognition among artists and art connoisseurs. At that time he was a fashionable and successful painter who had many orders. His business took off sharply, and he became a fairly wealthy man.
However, despite his prosperity as an artist, Rembrandt suffered many troubles in his personal life. Three of his children died in infancy. The fourth son, Titus, survived, but his wife Saskia died a year after his birth. In these difficult and turning-point years for any person, Rembrandt painted the painting “The Night Watch,” which brought him real fame and is still one of the most bright paintings of his entire work. The Night's Watch is a group portrait of members of the archery guild. Then he refused classic way arrangement of faces in a group portrait, and created a picture in which there is dynamics and movement. In addition, the unusual contrast, the way of applying light and shadow, gave a special exciting flavor to the work. The customers, admittedly, did not understand Rembrandt’s idea, since they wanted to get something similar to the works of other classical artists of that time, those who were recognized as the standard in painting.
Over the years, realistic art Rembrandt Van Rijn everything is improving and developing. He goes deeper into his creativity, becoming more and more different from his contemporaries. Depth and emotionality reach the peak of tension. Artistic images on his canvases they seem to live their own life, and are not at all a copy of the original or simple image person. It was the novelty of artistic research that allowed him to become one of the most notable artists of all times. He never tired of surprising people throughout his life. Even when Rembrandt went out of fashion and continued to paint ordinary portraits to order, unexpectedly for everyone he painted the grandiose painting “Return prodigal son" And yet, despite his skill and merit, the world and society were cruel even in those times. Rembrandt van Rijn died on October 4, 1669 in poverty and misery. His grave was lost, but a great legacy remained in his memory for many centuries.
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Allegory of Music
Andromeda
Aristotle with a bust of Homer
Flight to Egypt
Jacob's Blessing
The boat of Christ during the storm
Man in a golden helmet
David and Jonathan
Evangelist Matthew and the angel
Jewish bride
Frederick Riehl on horseback
Sacrifice
Stone bridge
Mill
Still life with a peacock
Joseph's accusation
Blinding of Samson
Denial of the Apostle Peter
Belshazzar's Feast
The Abduction of Ganymede
Portrait of Jeremiah Decker
Portrait of Maria Trip
Portrait of an old warrior
Portrait of an old woman
Portrait of Jan Six
Portrait of Jan Utenbogaert
And his work, presented in the article, will introduce you to one of the greatest artists of all time. Rembrandt Harmens van Rijn (life - 1606-1669) - famous Dutch painter, etcher and draftsman. His work is permeated with the desire to comprehend the essence of life, as well as the inner world of man. Rembrandt was interested in the richness of spiritual experiences inherent in people. The work of this artist is the pinnacle of Dutch art of the 17th century. It is also considered one of the most important pages of artistic culture around the world. Even people far from painting know his works. Rembrandt is an amazing artist whose life and work will certainly interest you.
Rembrandt's artistic heritage
The artistic heritage that he left us is extremely diverse. Rembrandt painted portraits, landscapes, still lifes, and genre scenes. He created paintings based on mythological, biblical, historical topics, as well as other works. Rembrandt is an unsurpassed master of etching and drawing.
Life in Leiden
Rembrandt's life in 1620 was marked by a short period of study at Leiden University. Then he decided to devote his life entirely to art. To this end, he studied first in Leiden with J. van Swanenburch (around 1620-23), and then in Amsterdam with P. Lastman (in 1623). Between 1625 and 1631 the artist worked in Leiden. Rembrandt created his first works here.
It should be noted that his works dating back to the Leiden period are characterized by the search for creative independence of the author, despite the fact that the influence of Lastman, as well as representatives of Dutch Caravaggism, is noticeable in them. An example is the work “Bringing to the Temple,” created around 1628-29. In "The Apostle Paul" (approximately 1629-30), as well as in "Simeon in the Temple" (1631), the artist first resorted to chiaroscuro as a means of enhancing emotional expressiveness and spirituality of images. At the same time, Rembrandt worked hard on the portrait. He studied facial expressions.
1630 years in the life of Rembrandt
An important event in the life of the master occurred in 1632. The biography of the artist Rembrandt was marked by the move to Amsterdam. His biography relating to this time is as follows.
In Amsterdam, the artist we are interested in soon got married. His chosen one was Saskia van Uylenburgh, a wealthy patrician (her portrait is presented above). This woman was an orphan. Her father was a member of the Friesland council, burgomaster of Leeverden. Saskia's two brothers were lawyers. Among this woman's relatives are many government officials and scientists. She brought a ray of happiness into the artist’s lonely home. Rembrandt furnished his house with many rare objects, as a result of which it became a real museum. The master spent a lot of time in junk shops, sales and auctions. He bought prints and paintings, Indian and Chinese carved trinkets, old weapons, statues, valuable crystal and porcelain. All these things served as the background for the paintings he created. They inspired the artist. Rembrandt loved to dress his wife in velvet, brocade and silk. He showered her with pearls and diamonds. His life was easy and joyful, full of creativity, labor and love. In general, the 1630s are a time of family happiness and great artistic success.
Portraits of the 1630s
All portraits dating back to the 1630s demonstrate Rembrandt's subtlety and powers of observation. This brings him closer to Keyser, van der Helst, Rubens and Van Dijk. These paintings are usually made on a light gray, flat background. His works are often oval in format. Rembrandt created portraits that amaze with their enormous plastic power. It is achieved by simplifying chiaroscuro and black and white harmony, as well as by directing the model’s gaze. All works are full of dignity, attracting attention with composition and dynamic ease. The paintings of the Amsterdam period, compared to the Leiden ones, have a smoother texture. The rhythm of the hands has a symbolic meaning (the artist deliberately does not show one hand). This, as well as the turn of the figure’s head, recalls the variability and transience of the Baroque.
Characteristics of some portraits of 1630
When describing the life and work of Rembrandt during this period, one cannot help but turn to the portraits he created. They are quite numerous. Rembrandt's "The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp" (pictured above) was created in 1632. In it, the author took an innovative approach to solving the problem of a group portrait, resulting in a relaxed composition. Rembrandt united all the people represented in the painting with a single action. This work brought him great fame.
In other portraits, created according to numerous orders, the artist carefully conveyed clothing, facial features, and jewelry. One example is the work “Portrait of a Burgrave”, which was painted in 1636 by Rembrandt Garmens van Rijn. The life and work of any artist are closely interconnected. For example, portraits of people close to Rembrandt, as well as his self-portraits (one of them, created in 1634, is presented above), are more varied and freer in composition. In them, the artist was not afraid to experiment, striving for psychological expressiveness. Here we should also mention the self-portrait created in 1634, and “Smiling Saskia”, painted in 1633.
The famous painting “Merry Society”, or “Self-Portrait with Saskia” (photo of this work is presented above), completed the quest of this period. It was painted around 1635. The life and work of the artist are revealed in a special way in this work. In it, he boldly breaks with the canons that existed at that time. The painting stands out for its free manner of painting, the lively spontaneity of the composition, as well as the light-filled, major, colorful palette.
Biblical compositions and mythological scenes 1630
In the 1630s, the artist also created biblical compositions. One of the most famous is the “Sacrifice of Abraham”. It dates back to 1635. Biblical compositions of this time are marked by the influence of Italian Baroque painting. Its impact is manifested in the dynamics of the composition (somewhat forced), light and shadow contrasts, and the sharpness of angles.
In the works of Rembrandt of this time special place belongs to mythological scenes. In them, the artist did not follow classical traditions and canons, challenging them boldly. One of the works that can be noted here is The Rape of Ganymede (1635).
"Danae"
The monumental composition entitled “Danae” fully embodied Rembrandt’s aesthetic views. In this work, he seems to enter into an argument with the great artists of the Renaissance. The nude figure of Danae depicted by Rembrandt does not correspond to classical ideals. The artist completed this work with realistic spontaneity, very bold for that time. He contrasted the ideal, sensual-physical beauty of the images created Italian masters, spiritual beauty, as well as the warmth of human feeling.
Other jobs
Also in the 1630s, Rembrandt devoted a lot of time to working in the techniques of engraving and etching. One can note his works such as “The Wandering Couple” and “The Rat Poison Seller.” The artist also created pencil drawings, generalized in style and very bold.
Rembrandt's work in the 1640s
These years were marked by a conflict between Rembrandt's innovative works and the very limited demands of his contemporaries. This conflict clearly manifested itself in 1642. Then Rembrandt's work "Night Watch" caused violent protests from customers. They didn't accept main idea artist. Rembrandt, instead of the usual group portrait, depicted a heroically upbeat composition in which, at the alarm, the guild of shooters steps forward. That is, it was, one might say, She awakened the memories of contemporaries about the liberation war waged by the Dutch people.
After this work, the influx of orders for Rembrandt decreased. His life was also darkened by the death of Saskia. In the 1640s, the artist’s work lost its external effectiveness. The major notes that were characteristic of it earlier also disappeared. Rembrandt begins to paint calm genre and biblical scenes, full of intimacy and warmth. In them he reveals the subtlest shades of experiences, feelings of family, spiritual closeness. Among these works, it is worth noting the “Holy Family” of 1645, as well as the painting “David and Jonathan” (1642).
Both in Rembrandt’s graphics and painting, a very subtle play of chiaroscuro is becoming increasingly important. It creates a special atmosphere - emotionally intense, dramatic. Of note are Rembrandt's monumental graphic sheet "Christ Healing the Sick" as well as the "Hundred Guilder Sheet", created around 1642-46. You should also call the landscape of 1643 “Three Trees”, full of light and air dynamics.
1650 in the works of Rembrandt
This time was marked by difficult life's trials, which befell the artist. It was in 1650 that the period of his creative maturity began. Rembrandt begins to turn more and more often to portraiture. He portrays the people closest to him. Among these works, it is worth noting numerous portraits of Hendrikje Stoffels, the artist’s second wife. Also quite remarkable is the “Portrait of an Old Woman” created in 1654. In 1657, the artist painted another of his famous works, “Son Titus Reading.”
Images of ordinary people and old people
Images of ordinary people, especially old people, increasingly attract the artist. In his works they are the embodiment of spiritual wealth and life wisdom. In 1654, Rembrandt created "Portrait of the Artist's Brother's Wife", and in 1652-1654 - "Portrait of an Old Man in Red" (pictured above). The painter becomes interested in the hands and face, which are illuminated soft light. It’s as if they were snatched from the darkness. The faces of the figures are characterized by barely noticeable facial expressions. This shows the complex movement of their feelings and thoughts. Rembrandt alternates light and impasto strokes, which makes the surface of the painting shimmer with light and shadow and colorful shades.
Difficult financial situation
In 1656, the artist was declared an insolvent debtor, as a result of which all his property was sold under the hammer. Rembrandt was forced to move to the Jewish quarter of the city of Amsterdam. Here he spent the rest of his life in extremely cramped conditions.
Works of Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn 1660
Biblical compositions created in the 1660s sum up Rembrandt's reflections on the meaning of life. In his work of this time there are paintings dedicated to the clash of light and dark principles in the human soul. A number of works on this topic were created by Rembrandt Harmens van Rijn, whose biography and list of paintings interest us. Among such works, it is worth noting the work "Assur, Haman and Esther", created in 1660; and also "David and Uriah", or "The Fall of Haman" (1665). They are characterized by a flexible brushwork style, warm rich colors, complex surface texture, and intense play of light and shadow. All this is necessary for the artist to reveal complex emotional experiences and conflicts, to affirm the victory of good over evil.
Rembrandt's historical painting entitled The Conspiracy of Julius Civilis, also known as The Conspiracy of the Batavians, was created in 1661. It is imbued with heroism and harsh drama.
"Return of the Prodigal Son"
IN Last year During his life, the artist created the work “The Return of the Prodigal Son”. It dates from 1668-69. This monumental painting is Rembrandt's main masterpiece. It embodies all the moral, aesthetic and artistic issues characteristic of the late period of his work. The artist with the highest skill recreates in this picture a whole range of deep and complex human feelings. Artistic media he subordinates to the revelation of the beauty of forgiveness, compassion, understanding. In mean gestures and expressive poses embodies the culmination of the transition from tension of feelings to the successful resolution of passions. You can see this in the photo above last piece Rembrandt.
Rembrandt's death, the significance of his work
The famous Dutch painter, etcher and draftsman died in Amsterdam on October 4, 1669. Harmens van Rijn Rembrandt, whose works are known and loved by many, had a huge influence on further development painting. This is noticeable not only in the work of his students, of whom Carel Fabricius came closest to understanding Rembrandt, but also in the works of every Dutch artist, more or less significant. The paintings of many masters reflect the influence of artists such as Rembrandt van Rijn. The work "The Swamp", authored by Jacob van Ruisdael, is probably one of these works. It shows a desert part of the forest area flooded with water. This picture carries a symbolic meaning.
Subsequently, the great Rembrandt had a strong influence on the development of realistic art in general. His paintings and biography are still of interest to many people. This suggests that his work is indeed quite valuable. Rembrandt's masterpieces, many of which were described in this article, still inspire artists.
Creation Rembrandt Harmens van Rijn(1606-1669) marks the highest flowering of Dutch art of the 17th century and one of the peaks of world art in general. Democratic and truly humane, imbued with ardent faith in the triumph of just principles of life, it embodied the most advanced and life-affirming ideas of its time. The artist raised fine art to a new level, enriching it with unprecedented vitality and psychological depth. Rembrandt created a new pictorial language, in which the main role was played by finely developed techniques of chiaroscuro and rich, emotionally intense color. The spiritual life of man has now become accessible to depiction through realistic art.
Rembrandt was an innovator in many genres. As a portrait painter, he was the creator of a unique genre of portrait-biography, where long life man and his inner world were revealed in all its complexity and inconsistency. As a historical painter, he transformed distant ancient and biblical legends into a story about real earthly human feelings and relationships, warmed by high humanism.
The mid-1630s is the time of Rembrandt’s greatest proximity to the pan-European Baroque style, lush and noisy, full of theatrical pathos and stormy movement, contrasts of light and shadow, the contradictory juxtaposition of naturalistic and decorative moments, sensuality and cruelty.
IN Baroque period written "Descent from the Cross"(1634). The painting illustrates the Gospel legend about how Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus and other disciples and relatives of Christ, having received Pilate’s permission, took down the body of Christ at night, wrapped it in a rich shroud and buried it. The legend is told by Rembrandt with stunning life-like truth. The tragic death of the teacher and son plunged the participants in the event into deep grief. The artist peers into faces, trying to penetrate people’s souls, to read everyone’s reaction to what is happening. He excitedly conveys the fainting of Mary, the mother of Christ, the crying and groaning of women, the suffering and sorrow of men, the fear and curiosity of teenagers.
In this work, Rembrandt based himself on the famous Rubens painting of the same name, using individual compositional motifs of the great Fleming and trying to surpass him in expressing the spiritual movements of the characters.
To others important achievement this picture, along with the individualization of feelings characters, was the use of light to achieve the integrity of a multi-figure composition. The three main moments of the legend - the descent from the cross, the fainting of Mary and the spreading of the shroud - are illuminated by three different light sources, the intensity of which decreases in accordance with the decreasing significance of the scene. 
The beginning of a new period in the life and creative activity of the master was marked by two important events which occurred in 1642: the untimely death of Saskia, his beloved wife, who left him a one-year-old son, and the creation of the painting “Night Watch” - a large group portrait of the Amsterdam riflemen, the most famous work of the master.
A family tragedy and the completion of an important commission confronted Rembrandt with difficult problems in his personal and creative life. The artist emerges from this crisis matured and wise. His art becomes more serious, more collected and deeper, and most importantly, his interest in the inner life of a person, in what is going on in his soul, becomes more and more clear.
In close connection with the evolution of Rembrandt’s work in the 1640s, one should also consider one of the artist’s most important works - "Danae", although there is a date on the picture 1636. Rembrandt was inspired by his first love, Saskia, to create the image of Danae, the legendary Greek princess imprisoned by her father to avoid his predicted death at the hands of his grandson. But ten years later, as recent research has shown, the artist, dissatisfied with the initial decision, significantly reworks the image of the main character. Model for final version The paintings were apparently served to him by Geertje Dirks, a young widow who settled in Rembrandt’s house after Saskia’s death, first as a nanny for one-year-old Titus, and then as a full mistress. Thus, the head, right hand and, to a large extent, the body of Danae, waiting in her prison for her lover (according to legend, Zeus, who fell in love with Danae, entered her in the form of a golden shower), as well as the figure of the old maidservant, were painted anew, in a bold, broad manner mid and second half of the 1640s. Almost all other details of the picture remained the same as they were painted in 1636, with a neat, drawing stroke characteristic of the previous period.
The coloring of the painting has also undergone significant changes. The original version was dominated by cool tones, typical of the mid-1630s. Having replaced the golden rain of the first version with golden light, as if foreshadowing the appearance of a loving god, Rembrandt now paints the central part of the picture in a warm tone with golden ocher and red cinnabar as dominants.
In the second version, that is, in 1646-1647, Danae received an in-depth psychological characteristics, thanks to which the innermost inner world of a woman was revealed, the whole complex and contradictory range of her feelings and experiences. “Danae” is thus visual specific example the formation of the famous Rembrandt psychologism. 
Rembrandt's work in the 1650s is marked primarily by achievements in the field of portraiture. Externally, portraits of this period differ, as a rule, large size, monumental forms. calm poses. Models usually sit in deep armchairs, with their hands on their knees and facing the viewer. The face and hands are highlighted with light. These are always elderly people, wise from long life experience - old men and women with the stamp of gloomy thoughts on their faces and hard work on their hands. Such models gave the artist brilliant opportunities to show not only the external signs of old age, but also the spiritual appearance of a person. In the Hermitage collection these works are well represented by uncommissioned portraits:
“The Old Man in Red”, “Portrait of an Old Lady” and “Portrait of an Old Jew”.
We do not know the name of the person who served as the model for the portrait "The Old Man in Red" Rembrandt painted it twice: in a portrait of 1652 (National Gallery, London) he is depicted sitting in a wingback chair, his head bowed on his right hand in deep thought; The Hermitage version treats the same theme - a person alone with his thoughts. This time the artist uses a strictly symmetrical composition, depicting an old man sitting motionless from the front. But the more noticeable is the movement of thought, the subtle change in facial expression: it seems now stern, now softer, now tired, now suddenly illuminated by the tide inner strength and energy. The same thing happens with the hands: they seem to be either convulsively clenched or lying exhausted. The artist achieves this primarily thanks to the brilliant mastery of chiaroscuro, which, depending on its strength and contrast, introduces elegiac relaxation or dramatic tension into the image. The manner of applying paint to the canvas also plays a huge role. The old man’s wrinkled face and knobby, worn-out hands acquire artistic expressiveness thanks to a viscous mixture of paints, in which intertwining thick strokes convey the structure of the form, and thin glazes give it movement and life.
The nameless old man in red, with emphasized dignity, fortitude and nobility, became an expression of the new ethical position of the artist, who discovered that the value of an individual does not depend on a person’s official position in society.
By the mid-1660s, Rembrandt completed his most soulful work - "Return of the Prodigal Son" It can be seen as a testament to Rembrandt the man and Rembrandt the artist. It is here that the idea of all-forgiving love for man, for the humiliated and suffering - the idea that Rembrandt served throughout his life - finds its highest, most perfect embodiment. And it is in this work that we encounter all the richness and variety of painting and technical techniques that the artist has developed over many decades of creativity.
Ragged, exhausted and sick, having squandered his fortune and abandoned by his friends, the son appears on the threshold of his father’s house and here, in the arms of his father, finds forgiveness and consolation. The immense bright joy of these two - the old man, who has lost all hope of meeting his son, and the son, overcome with shame and remorse, hiding his face on his father's chest - constitutes the main emotional content of the work. The involuntary witnesses to this scene stood silently, shocked.
The artist limits himself extremely to color. The picture is dominated by golden ocher, cinnamon red and black-brown tones with an endless wealth of subtle transitions within this meager range. A brush, a spatula, and a brush handle are involved in applying paint to the canvas; but even this seems insufficient to Rembrandt - he applies paint to the canvas directly with his finger (this is how, for example, the heel of the left foot of the prodigal son is painted). Thanks to a variety of techniques, an increased vibration of the paint surface is achieved - the paints either burn, or sparkle, or dully smolder, or as if glowing from within, and not a single detail, not a single, even the most insignificant, corner of the canvas leaves the viewer indifferent.
Only a person wise with enormous life experience and a great artist who has traveled a long way could create this brilliant and simple work.
In “The Return of the Prodigal Son” nothing happens and nothing is said - everything was said, changed, suffered and felt a long time ago, during years of long anticipation, but there is the joy of a meeting, quiet and bright...
"The Return of the Prodigal Son" was the master's last great work. Rembrandt died in 1669.
References:
- Yu. Kuznetsov. “Dutch painting of the 17th – 18th centuries in the Hermitage.” Publishing house "Art", Leningrad branch, 1988
- "Hermitage Museum. Exhibition plans” compiled by Y. Shapiro. Lenizdat, 1977
- “Encyclopedic Dictionary of a Young Artist” compiled by N. Platonova and V. Sinyukov, Pedagogika Publishing House, Moscow, 1983.
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn [ˈrɛmbrɑnt ˈɦɑrmə(n)soːn vɑn ˈrɛin], 1606-1669) - Dutch artist, draftsman and engraver, Great master chiaroscuro, the largest representative of the golden age of Dutch painting. He managed to embody in his works the entire spectrum of human experiences with such emotional richness that fine art had never known before. Rembrandt's works, extremely diverse in genre, reveal to the viewer a timeless spiritual world human experiences and feelings.
Rembrandt Harmenszoon (“son of Harmen”) van Rijn was born on July 15, 1606 (according to some sources, in 1607) in the large family of the wealthy mill owner Harmen Gerritszoon van Rijn in Leiden. Even after the Dutch Revolution, the mother's family remained faithful to the Catholic religion.
In Leiden, Rembrandt attended the Latin school at the university, but showed the greatest interest in painting. At the age of 13, he was sent to study fine art with the Leiden historical painter Jacob van Swanenburch, a Catholic by faith. Researchers have not been able to find works by Rembrandt dating back to this period, so the question of Swanenbuerch’s influence on the development of Rembrandt’s creative style remains open: too little is known today about this Leiden artist.
In 1623, Rembrandt studied in Amsterdam with Pieter Lastman, who had trained in Italy and specialized in historical, mythological and biblical subjects. Returning to Leiden in 1627, Rembrandt, together with his friend Jan Lievens, opened his own workshop and began to recruit students. Within a few years he became widely known.
Lastman's passion for variegation and detail in execution had a huge influence on the young artist. It clearly comes through in his first surviving works - “The Stoning of St. Stephen" (1629), "Scene from ancient history"(1626) and "The Baptism of the Eunuch" (1626). In comparison with his mature works, they are unusually colorful; the artist strives to carefully describe every detail of the material world, to convey the exotic setting of biblical history as accurately as possible. Almost all the heroes appear before the viewer dressed in fancy oriental outfits, shining with jewelry, which creates an atmosphere of pomp, pomp, and festivity (“Allegory of Music,” 1626; “David before Saul,” 1627).
The final works of the period - “Tobit and Anna”, “Balaam and the Donkey” - reflect not only the artist’s rich imagination, but also his desire to convey the dramatic experiences of his characters as expressively as possible. Like other Baroque masters, he begins to grasp the value of sharply sculpted chiaroscuro to convey emotion. His teachers in terms of working with light were the Utrecht Caravaggists, but back in to a greater extent he was guided by the works of Adam Elsheimer, a German who worked in Italy. The most Caravaggist paintings by Rembrandt are “The Parable of the Foolish Rich Man” (1627), “Simeon and Anna in the Temple” (1628), “Christ at Emmaus” (1629).
Adjacent to this group is the painting “The Artist in His Studio” (1628; perhaps this is a self-portrait), in which the artist captured himself in the studio at the moment of contemplating his own creation. The canvas being worked on is brought to the forefront of the painting; in comparison with him the author himself seems like a dwarf.
One of the unresolved issues in Rembrandt’s creative biography is his artistic overlap with Lievens. Working side by side, they took on the same plot more than once, such as “Samson and Delilah” (1628/1629) or “The Raising of Lazarus” (1631). In part, both were drawn to Rubens, who was then known as the best artist in all of Europe; sometimes Rembrandt borrowed Lievens’s artistic discoveries, sometimes it was exactly the opposite. For this reason, distinguishing between the works of Rembrandt and Lievens of 1628-1632 presents certain difficulties for art historians. Among his other famous works is “Balaam’s Donkey” (1626).
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