Rembrandt, Harmens Van Rijn(Rembrandt, Harmenz van Rijn) (1606-1669) - the greatest artist, painter, draftsman, etcher, who lived in the 17th century. in Holland.

July 15, 1606 in Leiden, the wealthy miller Harmen Gerrits and his wife Neeltge Willems van Zeitbroek had a sixth child, named Rembrandt. The mill was not far from the Rhine that crossed the city, so Harmen Gerrits began to be called van Rijn, and the whole family received this addition to the surname.

Parents, giving Rembrandt a good education, wanted him to become a scientist or an official. He studies at the Latin school, and then from 1620 at the University of Leiden, which he leaves without completing it. The craving for drawing, which manifested itself since childhood, led him to the studio of the local painter Jacob van Swanenburg, who taught Rembrandt the basics of drawing and painting, introduced him to the history of art. After studying with him for three years, Rembrandt moved to Amsterdam in 1623 and continued his studies with the famous painter Pieter Lastman (1583–1633). But the training lasted only six months. In 1624, Rembrandt returned to Leiden and there, together with his friend Jan Lievens, opened his own painting studio.

In the 17th century in Holland, after the victory over Spain, Catholicism was banned; Protestantism does not allow picturesque decoration in churches. Therefore, the church, which used to be the largest customer of painting, is losing this role, and the big and middle bourgeoisie, wealthy townspeople, come to the fore. Paintings intended to decorate burgher houses must now meet the new challenges. Sizes change, new subjects appear, there is a division into genres of painting, an increase in interest in the everyday genre, landscape, still life, portrait, and a type of group portrait is formed. Rembrandt learns from artists of the past and his contemporaries, masters the technique of painting and engraving. He studies the art of Italy from casts, engravings, copies and perceives the humanistic principle of Italian art. The baroque style, which originated in the 17th century, also had a great influence on his work, but the sophistication, pomp, and emphasized theatricality of this style were far from Rembrandt's quest. He was an admirer of the work of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1573–1510), the founder of the realistic trend in European painting of the 17th century.

Already in the portraits of Rembrandt of the Leiden period, the artist's interest in the inner world of man is visible. Focusing on revealing the state of mind of the person being portrayed, he omits secondary details ( Portrait of an old warrior, OK. 1630, St. Petersburg, State Hermitage). They create the first plot pictures ( The expulsion of merchants from the temple, 1626, Moscow, Pushkin Museum im. A.S. Pushkin; money changer, 1627, Berlin-Dahlem), paintings in the center of which scientists ( Wise Men's Conversations, 1628, Melbourne, National Gallery; scientist at the table, 1628, London, National Gallery; Portrait of a scientist, 1631, St. Petersburg, State Hermitage). Carefully studying the art of engraving, he creates many drawings, engravings, etchings.

At the end of 1631, Rembrandt, a famous portrait painter and author of historical paintings, moved to Amsterdam, the largest trading city. One of the first paintings painted by Rembrandt in Amsterdam was the painting Anatomy Lesson by Dr. Tulp(1632, The Hague, Mauritshuis), referring to the traditions of the group portrait. The artist conveys the portrait resemblance of all the characters, but unlike the traditions of a group portrait, where each of the portrayed occupies an equivalent position, here all the characters are emotionally subordinate to the Tulpa. The painting aroused great interest, and Rembrandt became one of the fashionable young portrait painters in Amsterdam.

In 1634, Rembrandt married the daughter of the former mayor of Leeuwarden, Saskia van Uylenburg, a noble and wealthy patrician. After getting married, he buys a big house. Furnishing the house with luxurious things, the artist creates a rich collection, which included works by Raphael, Giorgione, Durer, Mantegna, van Eyck, engravings from the works of Michelangelo, Titian. Rembrandt collected Persian miniatures, vases, shells, authentic antique busts, Chinese and Japanese porcelain, Venetian glass, expensive oriental fabrics, costumes of various nations, tapestries, and musical instruments.

In the 30s, Rembrandt was a prosperous, successful, wealthy artist, which is reflected in his works. In many paintings, he portrays his beloved wife Saskia ( Portrait of smiling Saskia, 1633, Dresden, Art Gallery; Flora, 1634, St. Petersburg, State Hermitage Museum; Samson's wedding, 1638, Dresden, State Art Gallery). The famous Self-portrait with Saskia knees(1635, Dresden, State Art Gallery). He shows himself as a cheerful cavalier with a glass of wine, who hugs the half-turned Saskia, who is sitting on his lap with her back to the viewer. The picture is filled with vitality, energy and permeated with love for his wife. Famous paintings on biblical themes belong to the same period ( Feast of Belshazzar,1634, London, National Gallery; Sacrifice Abraham, 1635, St. Petersburg, State Hermitage), landscapes ( Landscape with a pond and an arched bridge, 1638, Berlin-Dahlem; Landscape with a storm, 1639, Braunschweig, State Museum of Duke Anton Ulrich), ceremonial portraits, etchings. This is the time when Rembrandt perfects his technique of painting and graphics, giving his creations the utmost expressiveness and depth. Studying traditional methods of writing and approaches to the disclosure of topics, in his work he increasingly departs from these traditions. Instead of smooth, glazing strokes, which are applied in thin layers of transparent and translucent paints over a dense layer of paints and create a single pictorial surface of the canvas, he paints pictures with sharp, pasty strokes, gradually abandoning detailed details.

By the early 1940s, Rembrandt was a popular and highly paid painter. During the 1930s he painted about 60 commissioned portraits. He has about 15 students. One of the most famous paintings by Rembrandt of this period is Danae(1636-1646, St. Petersburg, State Hermitage). Having placed the mythological heroine in a luxurious alcove of a rich burgher Dutch house, he masterfully prescribes a velvet canopy, smartly embroidered pillows, admires the rays of golden light, soft waves flooding the beautiful naked body of Danae.

He began to work on the picture during a period of family happiness, at the zenith of fame. But in subsequent years, much has changed: three children of Rembrandt die, a few months after the birth of the last son, Titus, his beloved wife Saskia died (1642), soon he loses his mother and sisters. One of the last portraits of his wife was Last portrait of Saskia(1643, Berlin-Dahlem).

In the early 40s, Rembrandt received an order from the captain of the rifle squad Frans Banning-Cock for a large group portrait of the squad for the main hall of the new building of the Amsterdam Rifle Guild. The famous The night Watch(1642, Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum) (3.87–5.02 m). A detachment of 18 figures is a single cohesive group surrounded by townspeople. Arrows marching out of the arch of the building to the illuminated square, under a waving flag. The group portrait takes on the character of a kind of historical picture in which Rembrandt embodies his idea of ​​civil ideals. The opinions of contemporaries about the painting were divided: some immediately saw the masterpiece, others, including the customers, found that the painting did not meet the traditions of a group portrait. Therefore, she was hung in another, smaller, place not intended for her, cutting off the canvas on all sides, which violated the composition of the picture. Despite this, she is an unsurpassed example of a group portrait, where each character is given a sharp psychological description.

The 50s and 60s were marked by the creation of outstanding masterpieces, as well as the deepening of the artist's conflict with the authorities. The displeasure of the authorities was caused by the fact that Hendrikje Stoffels, a former servant in the Rembrandt house, becomes his common-law wife. The artist could not officially marry her, because. according to the will of Saskia, Rembrandt, upon entering into a new marriage, would be deprived of the right to be the guardian of the inheritance of his son Titus. The church persecuted Hendrickje for her relationship, not consecrated by marriage.

Rembrandt repeatedly portrays Hendrickje, she becomes his model ( Portrait of Hendrickje in rich clothes, 1654, Paris, Louvre; Portrait of Hendrickje Stoffels, 1657-1658, Berlin-Dahlem; the image of Mary in the picture holy family, 1645, St. Petersburg, State Hermitage, also inspired by her features).

Rembrandt is almost completely deprived of orders. At this time, he paints pictures on biblical and mythological themes: Joseph, accused by Pentephry's wife(1655, Washington, National Gallery), Christ at Emmaus(1648, Paris, Louvre). In the center of Rembrandt's work is a man, his inner world, experiences and joys. Paying great attention to portraits, he focuses on revealing the spiritual world of his models: Portrait old ladies(1654, Moscow, Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts), Portrait of an old man in red(1654, St. Petersburg, State Hermitage), Titus reading(c. 1657, Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum), Portrait Yana Six(1654, Amsterdam, Collection of Six). Late self-portraits of the artist also belong to the same type of portraits, striking with the versatility of psychological characteristics: self-portrait(c. 1652, Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum), self-portrait(1660, Paris, Louvre). Rembrandt receives painting commissions so rare at that time: Aristotle reflecting on bust of Homer(1653, New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art).

Having acquired a luxurious house during the years of financial prosperity, Rembrandt paid only half the amount. The remaining debts, especially after the death of Saskia, gradually led the artist to bankruptcy. Lenders file formal lawsuits, seek a court decision on imprisonment. Saskia's relatives are also included in the campaign of harassment of the artist, with whom Rembrandt had a conflict during Saskia's lifetime, because. they claimed that the artist was squandering his wife's fortune. Although at that time Rembrandt amassed a fortune by his labor that exceeded the giving of his wife, he collected a magnificent collection of art treasures. Again the church condemns his cohabitation with Hendrikje, their daughter Cornelia is declared illegitimate. In 1656, by a court decision, the Amsterdam City Hall declared Rembrandt an insolvent debtor, an inventory of property was carried out, and in 1656-1658 it was sold. The real value of the artist's property was several times greater than the size of his debts: the collection was valued at 17,000 guilders. However, it was sold for only 5 thousand, the house was valued at half its original cost. But not all creditors were satisfied. And the court ruled that all the paintings that will be created by the artist must be sold to pay off debts, the court also deprived Rembrandt of the right to have property, except for wearable things and drawing supplies, which meant a beggarly existence. The Rembrandt family moves to the poorest quarter of Amsterdam. Titus, after the ruin of his father, in order to make his property completely inaccessible to Rembrandt's creditors, draws up a will in which he leaves his entire fortune to his sister Cornelia, and appoints Rembrandt as a guardian with the right to use the money.

Despite the difficult situation, Rembrandt continues to write. These are mainly self-portraits, portraits of relatives ( Portrait of Titus, 1660, Baltimore, Collection of Jacobs), again refers to the image of the biblical David ( David before Saul, 1657, The Hague, Mauritshuis).

In 1660, Titus and Hendrickier open an antique shop, where Rembrandt was hired by an expert. And although, by a court decision, the paintings newly painted by Rembrandt were to be transferred to the disposal of creditors, the contract for hiring him to work made it possible for the artist to transfer his works to an antique store. This allowed the family to increase their income and buy a house. Once again, the artist turns to self-portraits, to paintings on a biblical theme ( Artaxerxes, Haman and Esther, 1660, Moscow, Pushkin Museum im. A.S. Pushkin). Among other artists, he receives an order to decorate the Amsterdam City Hall ( The conspiracy of Julius Civilis or Oath of the Bothavs, 1661, Stockholm, National Museum). The painting (about 30 square meters in size) is returned to the artist "for correction". But Rembrandt refused to make changes, and the order was given to another artist. On part of this canvas, Rembrandt completed another order - the famous group portrait Syndics(1662, Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum). The syndics, foremen, corporations of the cloth shop are seated at the table in formal black suits. The clarity and balance of the composition, the stinginess and accuracy of the selection of details, the creation of an integral image of a group of people, an unusual angle that emphasizes the monumental nature of the image, the solemnity of what is happening - all this refers the picture to the great masterpieces of painting.

In 1663, Hendrickje dies, leaving an antique shop to Titus and a small inheritance to Rembrandt. Rembrandt becomes the guardian of his daughter Cornelia. After a two-year creative break, he paints a number of famous paintings: David and Uriah(1665, St. Petersburg, State Hermitage), Jewish bride(1665, Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum), Family portrait(1668–1669, Breingschweig, Duke Anton Ulrich State Museum). But the true apotheosis of all Rembrandt's work was the painting The return of the prodigal son(1668–1669, St. Petersburg, State Hermitage). Repeatedly, the artist turned to this topic (sketches and sketches are already found in the 30s). On a huge canvas (260 × 205 cm), a kneeling figure of a son who returned to his father's shelter is shown from the back. His figure embodies the remorse of a man who has passed the tragic path of learning about life. The wise and spiritualized face of the old father, sanctified by great kindness, accepting and forgiving his son, is a masterpiece of Rembrandt, a master who knows how to penetrate into the soul of his characters and show all their experiences on canvas. This is a picture of suffering and great love.

In February 1668, Titus married Magdalena van Loo, but died soon after. This dealt a crushing blow to Rembrandt, and on October 8, 1669, he dies in the arms of his daughter Cornelia.

Rembrandt's creative heritage is huge: about 600 paintings, almost 300 etchings and 1400 drawings. It affected the work of his students, the most famous of which are Gerrit Dou, Gowart Flink, Samuel van Hoogstraten, Karel Fabricius, Nicholas Mas. It also influenced the development of world art in general, although it was appreciated many years later. A wide thematic range, humanism, the search for expressive artistic means, the greatest skill allowed the artist to bring to life the advanced ideas of the time. The emotionality of his works is great, created by the color of the paintings, which is built on a combination of warm close tones and the finest shades of color. Rembrandt left a huge pictorial legacy, creating paintings on biblical, historical, mythological and everyday themes, portraits and landscapes, was a great master of engraving and etching. In his work, he gave the central attention to a person, his inner world, his experiences, the disclosure of his spiritual wealth. The creative figure of Rembrandt rises through the ages along with the largest representatives of world art.

Nina Bayor

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn is a world famous painter and engraver. Rembrandt's biography is very interesting, so it is not surprising that a huge number of art studies and scientific monographs are devoted to the study of his life and work.

early years

The artist Rembrandt, whose biography is discussed in this article, was born in the family of the miller Harmen Gerrits in 1606. His mother's name was Neltje Willemsdochter van Rijn.

Due to the fact that his father was doing well at that time, the future painter received a fairly good education. He was assigned to a Latin school, but the young man did not like to study there, so his success left much to be desired. As a result, the father gave in to his son's requests and allowed him to go to study at the art workshop of Jacob van Swanenbürch.

Rembrandt's biography is interesting in that his first mentor did not have a strong influence on the artist's artistic style. The greatest influence on the novice artist was his second teacher, to whom he moved after three years of work at Swanenbürch. They became Peter Lastman, the student to whom Rembrandt decided when he moved to live in Amsterdam.

Creativity and biography of the artist

A brief biography of Rembrandt van Rijn does not allow a detailed description of his entire career and life, but it is still quite possible to make out the main points.

In 1623, the artist returned home to the city of Leiden, where by 1628 he had acquired his own students. Information about his very first known works dates back to 1627.

Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn systematically and diligently walked towards his creative success - the biography of a talented painter shows that in the early stages of his work he worked tirelessly.

At that time, he painted mainly his relatives and friends, as well as scenes from the life of his native city. The Kassel Gallery holds a portrait of a man with a double gold chain around his neck, dating back to this period in the life of the artist, known to the whole world as Rembrandt. The biography and work of this painter even then began to attract attention.

Moving to Amsterdam

In 1631, the young man moved to live in the capital - the city of Amsterdam. From now on, he appears extremely rarely in his native lands. Biography of Rembrandt at this stage of his life and work is replete with evidence that he quickly gained fame and creative success in the wealthy circles of Amsterdam.

This is a very fruitful stage in the artist's life. Rembrandt, whose brief biography is set out in our article, worked very hard, fulfilling many orders and at the same time not forgetting to constantly improve. The artist drew from life and engraved interesting characters that he came across in the Jewish quarter of the city.

Then such famous paintings as "Anatomy Lesson" (1632), "Portrait of Coppenol" (1631) and many others were painted.

Creative and financial success

In 1634, Rembrandt married Saskia van Uhlenborch, who was the daughter of a successful lawyer. In many ways, this marked the most successful time in the life and work of the artist. He has enough money and many orders, which he willingly fulfills.

Rembrandt's biography of that period indicates that he was very fond of painting his wife, and not only in portraits, but often her image can also be seen in other paintings of the painter.

The most famous paintings depicting the artist's young wife are:

  • "Portrait of the bride by Rembrandt";
  • "Portrait of Saskia";
  • "Rembrandt with his wife".

Rembrandt: a short biography after the death of his first wife

The young man's happy marriage did not last very long. After seven years of marriage, Saskia died suddenly in 1642. And from that moment on, the whole life of the artist begins to change for the worse.

Despite the fact that Rembrandt married a second time, he no longer had the same happiness as in his first marriage. His life partner was his former maid Gendrikie Jagers.

During that life period, the artist experiences severe financial difficulties, and not because of the lack of work and orders, but because of his own passion for collecting works of art, on which he spent most of his income.

His passion for collecting led to the fact that in 1656 he was declared a debtor who was unable to pay off his debts, and in 1658 he had to give up his own house in payment of debts. From that moment the artist lived in a hotel.

Deterioration

Hendrikie and Rembrandt's son Tityus founded a trading company for the sale of works of art. However, things were still not going very well, and after the death of Gendrikie in 1661, the situation became even worse. Seven years later, the son who ran the company’s business also dies.

The financial situation of the great artist becomes simply terrible, but poverty did not kill the desire to create in him. He continues to stubbornly paint pictures, which, however, no longer enjoy the same success with his contemporaries as before, because the tastes of the public have changed over the years.

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn died in October 1669, all alone and in extreme poverty.

Rembrandt: biography, paintings

Unlike the contemporaries of the great painter, the next generations highly appreciated not only the early work of the artist, but also the later works and canvases of Rembrandt. Today the master is the personification of Dutch painting and one of its brightest representatives.

The main leitmotif of all his work can be called realism, which permeates all the works of the author. Even depicting mythological scenes, Rembrandt demonstrates the ancient Greek gods and goddesses in the guise of the contemporary inhabitants of Holland. A striking example of this is the painting "Danae", which is kept in the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.

Some mythological paintings generally have a semi-cartoon depiction of gods and goddesses. This can be traced in the work "The Abduction of Ganymede" (the second name is "Ganymede in the Claws of an Eagle"), stored in the Dresden Museum. Here, the proportions of Ganymede's body do not correspond to reality, which does not indicate a low level of skill of the performer of the picture, but about his purposeful caricature approach to depicting the character on the canvas, since in many paintings Rembrandt easily performs even complex elements depicting parts of human physiology and anatomy.

The portrait works of the artist are generally distinguished by realism and plausibility unprecedented for his time, which speaks of the incredible talent of the master and the ability to transfer what he saw in life to the canvas, as well as his rather deep knowledge of human anatomy and physiology.

For this kind of work, the artist treats various trifles and small accessories very carefully and precisely. This is clearly seen in the pictures:

  • "Calligraph" (State Hermitage Museum);
  • "Anatomy Lesson" (Mauritshuis);
  • "Guild of Weavers" (Museum Amsterdam).

creative style

Rembrandt's works are characterized by the fact that all the important elements of the picture are always brought to the fore by the artist, regardless of the compositional features. The artist does not always strive to show that the people or objects depicted are correct from the point of view of reality. It is characterized by deliberate exaggeration.

The main feature that has passed through all his works is the absence of bright colors and colorfulness. Moreover, this can be seen from the earliest works of the artist. And this greatly distinguishes them from the paintings of Italian masters or, for example, from the work of the Flemish painter Rubens.

Rembrandt placed the greatest emphasis on the play of colors with light and shadow. In this, his skill is considered recognized and unsurpassed to this day. Sometimes the chiaroscuro play of colors on the artist's canvases is so strong that art experts are still arguing what time of day is depicted in the picture.

One of the clearest examples of Rembrandt's painting with such a magnificent palette is, perhaps, his most famous painting "Night Watch", disputes about which do not stop today.

"The night Watch"

This picture is officially titled "The performance of the rifle company of Captain Frans Banning Cock and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenbürg", but all over the world it is commonly called simply "Night Watch".

However, due to the artist’s love for the light-shadow play of colors described above, disputes about what time of day is depicted in the picture, day or night, are still ongoing and there is no definite answer.

This canvas is a symbol and the most striking work not only of Rembrandt himself, but of the entire Dutch school of painting. It is considered the property of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and world art in general.

Millions of tourists from all over the world come to Amsterdam every year to visit the Rijksmuseum and admire the famous painting. Everyone sees something of their own in it, everyone has their own impression and opinion about this canvas. But the fact that this magnificent work of the famous creator does not leave absolutely no one indifferent always remains unchanged.

Conclusion

Today, the painter and engraver Rembrandt, whose brief biography and work were described in this article, is the pride of not only his native country. He is known all over the world, and his paintings are admired by connoisseurs of art and painting all over the planet. The artist's paintings are willingly bought for fabulous money at auctions where paintings and works of art are sold, and the name of Rembrandt is well known to any person who has even the slightest idea about art.

It is difficult to overestimate the creative contribution of this great artist to the art and culture of his country and the whole world. No wonder today the Dutch school of painting is primarily associated with the name of Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn.

The great Dutchman Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn was born in 1606 in the city of Leiden. After studying as an apprentice, at the age of 19 he began to work as an independent artist.

In his first biblical compositions, the influence of the Italian Baroque is noticeable: in the sharp contrasts of chiaroscuro and the dynamics of the composition. But Rembrandt soon found his style in using chiaroscuro to express emotions in portraits.

In 1632, the painter moved to Amsterdam and married a wealthy patrician. During this period, he was especially successful, famous and happy. And his works are saturated with rich colors and breathe joy. He paints large religious compositions, many portraits and self-portraits with his beloved wife.

Rembrandt especially became famous as a portrait painter, writing over a hundred portraits and dozens of self-portraits during his career. It was in the image of himself that the artist boldly experimented in search of a special expressiveness of the face.

Rembrandt was the first to solve the problem of boring group portraits by uniting the depicted people in a common action, which gave faces and figures a natural ease.

The artist was glorified by a group portrait entitled “The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulpa” (1632), which depicts not even rows of pompous faces, but the heroes of a fascinating story, as if caught by the artist in the midst of the action.

The crowning talent of Rembrandt as a portrait painter, researchers consider the "Night Watch" (1642) - a custom-made portrait of the shooting society. However, the customers did not accept the picture, rejecting the innovative idea, where instead of the shooters lined up in a row, a heroic composition on the theme of the liberation struggle was depicted. To the shooters, among whom were nobles, these images seemed alien and politically untimely.

This rejection was the first tragic chord in the life of the artist. And when his beloved wife died, Rembrandt's work lost its joyful notes. The 1640s become a period of calm biblical motifs, where the artist more and more subtly reveals the shades of the spiritual experiences of the characters. Chiaroscuro play even more gracefully in his graphics, creating a dramatic atmosphere.

In Danae (1647), the artist revealed his aesthetic views on female beauty, challenging the Renaissance. His naked Danae is emphatically far from classical ideals, but sensual and warm, like a living woman.

The period of creative maturity of Rembrandt fell on the 1650s - a time of difficult life trials. His property was sold at auction for debts, but the painter practically did not fulfill orders. He painted portraits of relatives, ordinary people and the elderly. The artist's special attention, with the help of scattered light spots, was focused on faces with rich, but barely perceptible emotions, and hard-working hands.

Rembrandt interpreted the Biblical images in his own way, obviously "grounding" religious legends, depriving them of the otherworldly. Often, he gave the faces of saints the features of specific people who posed for him for paintings.

By the mid-1650s, the painter had become a real master, skillfully conquering light and color for the sake of emotional expressiveness of images. But he lived out his life in poverty and loneliness, having buried his second wife and son. The last works of the artist are devoted to reflections on the collision of evil with good in the human soul. The final chord was the main masterpiece of the master - "The Return of the Prodigal Son", written in 1669, the year of the artist's death. The repentant son, kneeling, expressed the whole tragedy of a person's life path, and in the image of a father one can see love itself and infinite forgiveness.

The attribution of Rembrandt's paintings is based on the latest research by a group of reputable scientists on his work and is updated in the course of ongoing research. The "Rembrandt Research Project" was founded in 1968 and set itself the goal of verifying the authenticity and belonging of the master's brushes on the basis of a detailed study of each, using the latest art history and technical achievements in this field.

Album layout and translation - Konstantin (koschey)

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn is a world famous painter and engraver. Rembrandt's biography is very interesting, so it is not surprising that a huge number of art studies and scientific monographs are devoted to the study of his life and work.

early years

The artist Rembrandt, whose biography is discussed in this article, was born in the family of the miller Harmen Gerrits in 1606. His mother's name was Neltje Willemsdochter van Rijn.

Due to the fact that his father was doing well at that time, the future painter received a fairly good education. He was assigned to a Latin school, but the young man did not like to study there, so his success left much to be desired. As a result, the father gave in to his son's requests and allowed him to go to study at the art workshop of Jacob van Swanenbürch.

Rembrandt's biography is interesting in that his first mentor did not have a strong influence on the artist's artistic style. The greatest influence on the novice artist was his second teacher, to whom he moved after three years of work at Swanenbürch. They became Peter Lastman, the student to whom Rembrandt decided when he moved to live in Amsterdam.

Creativity and biography of the artist

A brief biography of Rembrandt van Rijn does not allow a detailed description of his entire career and life, but it is still quite possible to make out the main points.

In 1623, the artist returned home to the city of Leiden, where by 1628 he had acquired his own students. Information about his very first known works dates back to 1627.

Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn systematically and diligently walked towards his creative success - the biography of a talented painter shows that in the early stages of his work he worked tirelessly.

At that time, he painted mainly his relatives and friends, as well as scenes from the life of his native city. The Kassel Gallery holds a portrait of a man with a double gold chain around his neck, dating back to this period in the life of the artist, known to the whole world as Rembrandt. The biography and work of this painter even then began to attract attention.

Moving to Amsterdam

In 1631, the young man moved to live in the capital - the city of Amsterdam. From now on, he appears extremely rarely in his native lands. Biography of Rembrandt at this stage of his life and work is replete with evidence that he quickly gained fame and creative success in the wealthy circles of Amsterdam.

This is a very fruitful stage in the artist's life. Rembrandt, whose brief biography is set out in our article, worked very hard, fulfilling many orders and at the same time not forgetting to constantly improve. The artist drew from life and engraved interesting characters that he came across in the Jewish quarter of the city.

Then such famous paintings as "Anatomy Lesson" (1632), "Portrait of Coppenol" (1631) and many others were painted.

Creative and financial success

In 1634, Rembrandt married Saskia van Uhlenborch, who was the daughter of a successful lawyer. In many ways, this marked the most successful time in the life and work of the artist. He has enough money and many orders, which he willingly fulfills.

Rembrandt's biography of that period indicates that he was very fond of painting his wife, and not only in portraits, but often her image can also be seen in other paintings of the painter.

The most famous paintings depicting the artist's young wife are:

  • "Portrait of the bride by Rembrandt";
  • "Portrait of Saskia";
  • "Rembrandt with his wife".

Rembrandt: a short biography after the death of his first wife

The young man's happy marriage did not last very long. After seven years of marriage, Saskia died suddenly in 1642. And from that moment on, the whole life of the artist begins to change for the worse.

Despite the fact that Rembrandt married a second time, he no longer had the same happiness as in his first marriage. His life partner was his former maid Gendrikie Jagers.

During that life period, the artist experiences severe financial difficulties, and not because of the lack of work and orders, but because of his own passion for collecting works of art, on which he spent most of his income.

His passion for collecting led to the fact that in 1656 he was declared a debtor who was unable to pay off his debts, and in 1658 he had to give up his own house in payment of debts. From that moment the artist lived in a hotel.

Deterioration

Hendrikie and Rembrandt's son Tityus founded a trading company for the sale of works of art. However, things were still not going very well, and after the death of Gendrikie in 1661, the situation became even worse. Seven years later, the son who ran the company’s business also dies.

The financial situation of the great artist becomes simply terrible, but poverty did not kill the desire to create in him. He continues to stubbornly paint pictures, which, however, no longer enjoy the same success with his contemporaries as before, because the tastes of the public have changed over the years.

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn died in October 1669, all alone and in extreme poverty.

Rembrandt: biography, paintings

Unlike the contemporaries of the great painter, the next generations highly appreciated not only the early work of the artist, but also the later works and canvases of Rembrandt. Today the master is the personification of Dutch painting and one of its brightest representatives.

The main leitmotif of all his work can be called realism, which permeates all the works of the author. Even depicting mythological scenes, Rembrandt demonstrates the ancient Greek gods and goddesses in the guise of the contemporary inhabitants of Holland. A striking example of this is the painting "Danae", which is kept in the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.

Some mythological paintings generally have a semi-cartoon depiction of gods and goddesses. This can be traced in the work "The Abduction of Ganymede" (the second name is "Ganymede in the Claws of an Eagle"), stored in the Dresden Museum. Here, the proportions of Ganymede's body do not correspond to reality, which does not indicate a low level of skill of the performer of the picture, but about his purposeful caricature approach to depicting the character on the canvas, since in many paintings Rembrandt easily performs even complex elements depicting parts of human physiology and anatomy.

The portrait works of the artist are generally distinguished by realism and plausibility unprecedented for his time, which speaks of the incredible talent of the master and the ability to transfer what he saw in life to the canvas, as well as his rather deep knowledge of human anatomy and physiology.

For this kind of work, the artist treats various trifles and small accessories very carefully and precisely. This is clearly seen in the pictures:

  • "Calligraph" (State Hermitage Museum);
  • "Anatomy Lesson" (Mauritshuis);
  • "Guild of Weavers" (Museum Amsterdam).

creative style

Rembrandt's works are characterized by the fact that all the important elements of the picture are always brought to the fore by the artist, regardless of the compositional features. The artist does not always strive to show that the people or objects depicted are correct from the point of view of reality. It is characterized by deliberate exaggeration.

The main feature that has passed through all his works is the absence of bright colors and colorfulness. Moreover, this can be seen from the earliest works of the artist. And this greatly distinguishes them from the paintings of Italian masters or, for example, from the work of the Flemish painter Rubens.

Rembrandt placed the greatest emphasis on the play of colors with light and shadow. In this, his skill is considered recognized and unsurpassed to this day. Sometimes the chiaroscuro play of colors on the artist's canvases is so strong that art experts are still arguing what time of day is depicted in the picture.

One of the clearest examples of Rembrandt's painting with such a magnificent palette is, perhaps, his most famous painting "Night Watch", disputes about which do not stop today.

"The night Watch"

This picture is officially titled "The performance of the rifle company of Captain Frans Banning Cock and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenbürg", but all over the world it is commonly called simply "Night Watch".

However, due to the artist’s love for the light-shadow play of colors described above, disputes about what time of day is depicted in the picture, day or night, are still ongoing and there is no definite answer.

This canvas is a symbol and the most striking work not only of Rembrandt himself, but of the entire Dutch school of painting. It is considered the property of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and world art in general.

Millions of tourists from all over the world come to Amsterdam every year to visit the Rijksmuseum and admire the famous painting. Everyone sees something of their own in it, everyone has their own impression and opinion about this canvas. But the fact that this magnificent work of the famous creator does not leave absolutely no one indifferent always remains unchanged.

Conclusion

Today, the painter and engraver Rembrandt, whose brief biography and work were described in this article, is the pride of not only his native country. He is known all over the world, and his paintings are admired by connoisseurs of art and painting all over the planet. The artist's paintings are willingly bought for fabulous money at auctions where paintings and works of art are sold, and the name of Rembrandt is well known to any person who has even the slightest idea about art.

It is difficult to overestimate the creative contribution of this great artist to the art and culture of his country and the whole world. No wonder today the Dutch school of painting is primarily associated with the name of Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn.

Why is Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn famous? His name should be known to every educated person. This is a gifted Dutch artist, engraver, an unsurpassed master of chiaroscuro, one of the largest representatives of the golden age - an outstanding era of Dutch painting, which fell on the 17th century. The article will tell about the life and work of this gifted person.

The beginning of the way

Rembrandt van Rijn came into this world in July 1606. He was born into the family of a wealthy miller. He was the ninth child, the youngest in the family. His parents were enlightened people. They noticed early on that the boy was gifted by nature with intelligence and talent, and instead of handicraft, they decided to send him "to science." So Rembrandt got into a Latin school, where he studied writing, reading, and studied the Bible. At the age of 14, he successfully completed school and became a student at the University of Leiden, which at that time was famous throughout Europe. Best of all, the young man was given painting, and again, his parents showed wisdom and foresight. They took their son from the university and gave him as an apprentice to the artist Jacob Isaac Swanenbürch. Three years later, Rembrandt van Rijn was so successful in drawing and painting that Peter Lastman himself, who headed the Amsterdam school of painting, took up the development of his talent.

Influence of authorities

The early work of Rembrandt van Rijn was formed under the influence of such authorities as the Dutch master of painting Peter Lastman, the German artist Adam Elsheimer, the Dutch artist Jan Lievens.

The variegation, brilliance and attention to detail inherent in Lastman are clearly visible in such works by Rembrandt as "The Stoning of St. Stephen", "The Baptism of a Eunuch", "A Scene from Ancient History", "David before Saul", "Allegory of Music".

Jan Lievens - a friend of Rembrandt, worked side by side with him in a common studio from 1626 to 1631. Their works have much in common, and the styles are so similar that even experienced art critics often confuse the hands of the masters.

The hero of our article was guided by Adam Elsheimer, comprehending the meaning of chiaroscuro for conveying mood and emotions on canvas. The influence of the German painter is clearly seen in the works "The Parable of the Foolish Rich Man", "Christ at Emmaus", "Simeon and Anna in the Temple".

Manifestation of individuality. Success

In 1630, Harmen van Rijn died, his property was divided among themselves by the elder brothers of Rembrandt. The young artist worked for some time in the workshop in his father's house, but in 1631 he left to seek his fortune in Amsterdam.

In the capital of the kingdom, he organized a workshop and began to specialize in portrait art. The skillful use of chiaroscuro, the characteristic facial expressions, the originality of each model - all this characterized the formation of a special style of the artist. Rembrandt van Rijn began to receive massive orders and achieved commercial success.

In 1632 he received a commission for a group portrait. As a result, the creation "The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulpa" saw the light of day. The brilliant work, for which Rembrandt received a large fee, not only glorified him, but also finally confirmed the creative maturity of the artist.

Muse

During a social visit, the fashionable young artist is introduced to the daughter of the burgomaster of the city, Saskia. Not so much the girl’s external data (she was not known as a beauty, although she was pretty and cheerful), but her solid dowry attracted Rembrandt, and six months after they met, the young people got engaged, and a year later they were legally married. Marriage allowed the hero of our article to enter the highest circles of society.

The newlyweds lived well. Rembrandt van Rijn painted many portraits of his wife, including her posing for him when creating the masterpiece Danae. His income at that time was colossal. He bought a mansion in the most prestigious area of ​​Amsterdam, furnished it with chic furniture, created an impressive collection of works of art.

Four children were born in the marriage, but only the youngest son Titus, born in 1641, survived. In 1642, Saskia died of an illness. She seems to have taken the master's luck with her.

The fading of glory. Life's hardships

Since 1642, the artist has been pursued by evil fate. Rembrandt van Rijn reaches the peak of his talent. His canvases, however, are becoming less and less popular, he is gradually losing customers and students. In part, biographers explain this by the waywardness of the master: he categorically refuses to be led by customers and creates as his heart tells him. The second reason for the fading of the glory of the great painter is called, oddly enough, his skill and virtuosity, which the townsfolk could not understand and appreciate.

Rembrandt's life is changing: he is gradually impoverished, moving from a luxurious mansion to a modest house on the outskirts of the city. But he continues to spend huge sums on works of art, which leads to his complete bankruptcy. The grown-up son Titus and Hendrikje, Rembrandt's mistress, take over financial affairs, from whom his daughter Cornelia was born.

"Company of Captain Frans Baning Cock" - a 4-meter canvas, the largest painting by the master, "Bathing Woman", "Flora", "Titus in a Red Beret", "Adoration of the Shepherds" - these are the works of the master, written by him in a difficult period of his life .

Later creations

In the last years of his life, Rembrandt van Rijn, whose biography is set out in the article, reached the heights of his work. He was two centuries ahead of his contemporaries and predicted the development of art in the 19th century in the era of realism and impressionism. A distinctive feature of his later works is monumentalism, large-scale compositions and clarity of images. The paintings "Aristotle with the Bust of Homer" and "The Conspiracy of Julius Civilis" are particularly characteristic in this respect. The canvases "The Return of the Prodigal Son", "Artaxerxes, Haman and Esther" and "The Jewish Bride" are permeated with deep drama. Many self-portraits were painted by the master in the last years of his life.

Rembrandt van Rijn, whose paintings are true masterpieces of art, died in poverty in 1969. He was quietly buried in the Amsterdam Westerkerk church. It was only appreciated a few centuries later.

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn: Paintings of a Genius

During his short journey on Earth, Rembrandt painted about 600 paintings, created about 300 etchings (engravings on metal) and almost 1,500 drawings. Most of his work is kept in the Rijksmuseum, the Amsterdam Art Museum. His most famous paintings:

  • "The Anatomy Lesson" (1632).
  • "Self-portrait with Saskia" (1635).
  • "Danae" (1636).
  • "Night Watch" (1642).
  • "The Return of the Prodigal Son (166(7?)).

Rembrandt is one of the greatest artists in history. So far, no one has succeeded in repeating his characteristic style. The gifted and talented son of a miller left behind an invaluable legacy - masterpieces of world art.