Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606 - 1669) - Dutch painter, draftsman and etcher. Creativity is imbued with the desire for a deep, philosophical comprehension of reality and the inner world of a person with all the wealth of his emotional experiences.
Realistic and humanistic in its essence, it marked the pinnacle of the development of Dutch art in the 17th century, embodying high moral ideals, faith in the beauty and dignity of ordinary people in a brightly individual and perfect artistic form.
Rembrandt. Drawing "Huts under the sky foreshadowing a storm" (1635) Rembrandt's artistic heritage is distinguished by an exceptional variety: portraits, still lifes, landscapes, genre scenes, paintings on biblical, mythological and historical subjects. Rembrandt was an unsurpassed master of drawing and.
Rembrandt. Etching "Mill" (1641) The future great artist was born into a miller's family. After a brief study at Leiden University in 1620, he devoted himself to art. He studied painting with J. van Swanenbürch in Leiden (from 1620 - 1623) and P. Lastman in Amsterdam in 1623. In the period from 1625 to 1631 he worked in Leiden. An example of Elastman's influence on the artist's work is a painting " Allegory of music", Written by Rembrandt in 1626.
Rembrandt "Allegory of Music" In pictures " Apostle Paul"(1629 - 1630) and" Simeon in the temple"(1631) Rembrandt first used chiaroscuro as a means to enhance the spirituality and emotional expressiveness of images.
Rembrandt "Apostle Paul" During these years, Rembrandt worked hard on the portrait, studying the facial expressions of the human face. The artist's creative quest during this period is expressed in a series of self-portraits and portraits of the artist's family members. This is how Rembrandt portrayed himself at the age of 23.
Rembrandt "Self-portrait" In 1632, Rembrandt moved to Amsterdam, where he soon married a wealthy patrician woman, Saskia van Eilenbruch. The 30s of the 17th century for the artist are years of family happiness and tremendous artistic success. The family couple is shown in the picture " The prodigal son in the tavern"(1635).
Rembrandt "The Prodigal Son in a Tavern" (1635) At the same time, the artist paints a canvas " Christ during a storm on the sea of Galilee"(1633). The painting is unique in that it is the only seascape of the artist.
Rembrandt "Christ during a storm on the Sea of Galilee" Painting " Anatomy lesson by Dr. Tulpa”(1632), in which the artist solved the problem of the group portrait in a new way, giving the composition a vital ease, and uniting the people in the portrait in a single action, brought Rembrandt wide fame. He received many orders, numerous students worked in his workshop.
Rembrandt "Anatomy Lesson Dr. Tulpa" In custom-made portraits of wealthy burghers, the artist carefully conveyed facial features, the smallest details of clothing, the shine of luxurious jewelry. You can see it on the canvas " Portrait of a burgrave", Written in 1633. At the same time, the models often received an apt social characteristic.
Rembrandt "Portrait of a Burgrave" Freer and more diverse in their composition are his self-portraits and portraits of loved ones:
- » Self-portrait", Written in 1634. At the moment, the canvas is on display at the Louvre.
Rembrandt "Self-portrait" (1634) - » Smiling Saskia". The portrait was painted in 1633. Today it is located in the Dresden Art Gallery.
Rembrandt "Smiling Saskia" These works are distinguished by the lively spontaneity and uplifting of the composition, the free style of painting, major, filled with light, golden colors.
A bold challenge to the classical canons and traditions in the artist's work can be traced to the example of the canvas " Abduction of Ganymede", Written in 1635. At the moment, the work is in the Dresden Art Gallery.
Rembrandt "The Rape of Ganymede" Painting "Danae"
The monumental composition is a vivid embodiment of the artist's new aesthetic views. " Danae"(Written in 1636), in which he argues with the great masters of the Italian Renaissance. The artist went against the generally accepted canons of the image, and created a beautiful painting that went beyond the then ideas of true beauty.
The nude figure of Danae, far from the classical ideals of female beauty, Rembrandt performed about bold realistic immediacy, and the artist contrasted the ideal beauty of the images of Italian masters with the sublime beauty of spirituality and the warmth of a person's intimate feeling.
Rembrandt "Danae" (1636) Subtle shades of emotional experiences were expressed by the painter in the paintings " David and Jonathan"(1642) and" Holy family"(1645). High quality reproductions of Rembrandt paintings can be used for decoration in many styles.
In 1656, Rembrandt was declared insolvent and all of his property was sold at a public auction. He was forced to move to the Jewish quarter of Amsterdam, where he spent the rest of his life.
Rembrandt "The Holy Family" (1645) Painting "Return of the Prodigal Son".
A cold misunderstanding of the Dutch burghers surrounded Rembrandt in the last years of his life. However, the artist continued to create. A year before his death, he began to create his brilliant canvas " Return of the prodigal son"(1668 - 1669), which embodied all artistic and moral - ethical issues.
In this painting, the artist creates a whole range of complex and deep human feelings. The main idea of the painting is the beauty of human understanding, compassion and forgiveness. The climax, tension of feelings and the moment of resolution of passions that follows it are embodied in expressive poses and mean, laconic gestures of father and son.
Rembrandt "The Return of the Prodigal Son" Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn was born in the Dutch city of Leiden in 1606 on 15 July. Rembrandt's father was a wealthy miller, his mother baked well, was the daughter of a baker. The surname "van Rijn" literally means "from the Rhine", that is, from the river Rhine, where Rembrandt's great-grandfathers had mills. Of the 10 children in the family, Rembrandt was the youngest. Other children followed in the footsteps of their parents, and Rembrandt chose a different path - artistic, and was educated at a Latin school.
At the age of 13, Rembrandt began to study drawing and also entered the city university. Age did not bother anyone then, the main thing at that time was knowledge at the level. Many scholars speculate that Rembrandt entered university not to study, but to get a reprieve from the army.
Rembrandt's first teacher was Jacob van Swanenbürch... The future artist spent about three years in his studio, then moved to Amsterdam to study with Peter Lastman. From 1625 to 1626 Rembrandt returned to his hometown, and made acquaintances with artists, and some of Lastman's students.
Nevertheless, after much deliberation, Rembrandt decided that a career as an artist should be done in the capital of Holland, and again moved to Amsterdam.
In 1634, Rembrandt married Saskia... By the time of marriage, everyone was in a good state (Rembrandt had by drawing pictures, and Saskia's parents left an impressive inheritance). So it wasn't a marriage of convenience. They really loved each other dearly and passionately.
In the 1635 - 1640s. Rembrandt's wife gave birth to three children, but they all died as newborns. In 1641, Saskia gave birth to a son named Titus. The child survived, but, unfortunately, the mother herself died at the age of 29.
After the death of his wife Rembrandt was not himself, he did not know what to do, and found solace in drawing. It was in the year when his wife died that he finished painting The Night Watch. The young father could not cope with Titus and therefore hired a nanny for the child - Gertier Dirks, who became his mistress. About 2 years passed, and the nanny in the house changed. She became a young girl Hendrickje Stoffels... What happened to Gertier Diercks? She sued Rembrandt, believing that he had violated the prenuptial agreement, but she lost the dispute and was sent to a correctional house, where she spent 5 years. Freed, she died a year later.
New nanny Hendrickje Stoffels gave birth to two children to Rembrandt. Their first child, a boy, died in infancy, and their daughter Carnelia, the only one who survived her father.
Few people know that Rembrandt had a very peculiar collection, which included paintings by Italian artists, various drawings, prints, various busts and even weapons.
The sunset of Rembrandt's life
Things were going badly for Rembrandt. There was not enough money, the number of orders decreased. Therefore, the artist sold part of his collection, but this did not save him either. He was on the verge of going to prison, but the court was in his favor, so he was allowed to sell all his property and pay off his debts. He even lived for some time in a house that no longer belonged to him.
Meanwhile, Titus and his mother set up a firm that traded in art objects in order to somehow help Rembrandt. In truth, until the end of his life, the artist did not pay off many, but this did not spoil Rembrandt's reputation, he remained a worthy person in the eyes of people.
Rembrandt's death was very sad. In 1663, the artist's favorite, Hendrickje, died. Some time later, Rembrandt buried his son Titus and his bride. In 1669, on October 4, he himself left this world, but left his mark forever in the hearts of people who love him.
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn is the most famous painter, etcher and draftsman of the Golden Age. Universal recognition and fame, a sharp decline and poverty - this is how the biography of the great genius of art can be characterized. Rembrandt strove to convey the soul of a person through portraits; rumors and guesses are still circulating about many of the artist's works, covered with mystery.
The beginning of the 17th century was calm for the Dutch state, which gained the independence of the republic at the time of the revolution. Industrial production, agriculture and trade developed in the country.
In the ancient city of Leidin, located in the province of South Holland, in a house on Vedesteg, Rembrandt, who was born on July 15, 1607, spent his childhood.
The boy grew up in a large family, in which he was the sixth child. The father of the future artist Harmen van Rijn was a wealthy man who owned a mill and a malt house. Among other things, there were two more houses in the property of the Baths of the Rhine, and he also received a significant dowry from his wife Cornelia Neltier, so the large family lived in abundance. The mother of the future artist was the daughter of a baker and knew about cooking, so the family table was full of delicious dishes.
Despite their wealth, the Harmen family lived modestly, observing strict Catholic rules. The artist's parents, even after the Dutch revolution, did not change their attitude towards faith.
Self-portrait by Rembrandt at 23 Rembrandt treated his mother with reverence throughout his life. This is expressed in the portrait, painted in 1639, which depicts a wise old woman with a kind and slightly sad look.
The family was alien to social events and the luxurious life of wealthy people. It should be assumed that in the evenings van Rijns gathered at the table and read books and the Bible: this is what most Dutch citizens did during the "Golden Age".
The windmill, which Harmen owned, was located on the banks of the Rhine: a beautiful landscape of an azure river opened up in front of the boy's gaze, which is illuminated by the rays of the sun making their way through a small window of the building and passing through the mists of flour dust. Perhaps, due to childhood memories, the future artist learned to skillfully master colors, light and shadow.
As a child, Rembrandt grew up as an observant boy. The vastness of the streets of Leydin provided sources of inspiration: in the trading markets one could meet different people of different nationalities and learn how to sketch their faces on paper.
Initially, the boy went to a Latin school, but he was not interested in studying. Young Rembrandt did not like exact sciences, preferring drawing.
The childhood of the future artist was happy, as the parents saw their son's hobbies, and when the boy was 13 years old, he was sent to study with the Dutch artist Jacob van Swanenburg. Little is known from the biography of the first teacher of Rembrandt, the representative of late Mannerism did not have a huge artistic heritage, which is why it is almost impossible to trace Jacob's influence on the development of Rembrandt's style.
In 1623, the young man went to the capital, where the painter Peter Lastman became his second teacher, who taught Rembrandt painting and engraving for six months.
Painting
The training with the mentor was successful, the young man, impressed by Lastman's paintings, quickly mastered the drawing technique. Bright and rich colors, the play of shadows and light, as well as the scrupulous study of even the smallest details of the flora - this is what Peter conveyed to the eminent student.
In 1627, Rembrandt returned from Amsterdam to his hometown. Confident in his abilities, the artist, together with his friend Jan Lievens, opens his own school of painting, which quickly gained popularity among the Dutch. Leavens and Rembrandt walked on a par with each other, sometimes young people carefully worked on one canvas, putting part of their own style into the drawing.
The twenty-year-old young artist has managed to gain fame through his detailed early works, which include:
- "The Stoning of the Holy Apostle Stephen" (1625),
- "Palamedeas before Agamemnon" (1626),
- "David with the head of Goliath" (1627),
- "The Rape of Europa" (1632),
The young man continues to draw inspiration from the streets of the city, walking through the squares in order to meet a bystander and capture his portrait with a chisel on a wooden board. Rembrandt also makes a series of engravings with self-portraits and portraits of numerous relatives.
Thanks to the talent of the young painter, Rembrandt was noticed by the poet Konstantin Hagens, who admired the paintings of van Rijn and Lievens, calling them promising artists. "Judas returns thirty pieces of silver", written by a Dutchman in 1629, he compares with the famous canvases of Italian masters, but finds flaws in the drawing. Thanks to the connections of Constantine, Rembrandt soon acquired rich admirers of art: due to the mediation of Hagens, the Prince of Orange ordered several religious works from the artist, such as “Before Pilate” (1636).
Real success for the artist comes in Amsterdam. June 8, 1633 Rembrandt meets the daughter of a wealthy burgher Saskia van Eilenbürch and gains a strong position in society. The artist painted most of the canvases while in the capital of the Netherlands.
Rembrandt is inspired by the beauty of his beloved, so he often paints her portraits. Three days after the wedding, van Rijn painted a woman in a silver pencil wearing a wide-brimmed hat. Saskia appeared in the paintings of the Dutchman in a cozy home environment. The image of this plump woman appears on many canvases, for example, the mysterious girl in the painting "Night Watch" strongly resembles the artist's beloved.
In 1632, Rembrandt became famous for the painting "The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulpa." The fact is that van Rijn departed from the canons of standard group portraits, which were depicted with faces turned towards the viewer. The extremely realistic portraits of the doctor and his students made the artist famous.
In 1635, the famous painting based on the biblical theme "The Sacrifice of Abraham" was painted, which was appreciated in secular society.
In 1642, van Rijn received an order from the Shooting Society for a group portrait to decorate a new building with canvas. The painting was mistakenly called "Night Watch". It was stained with soot, and only in the 17th century did researchers come to the conclusion that the action unfolding on the canvas takes place in the daytime.
Rembrandt thoroughly depicted every detail of the musketeers in motion: as if at a certain moment time stopped when the militiamen left the dark courtyard for van Rijn to capture them on canvas.
The customers did not like that the Dutch painter departed from the canons that developed in the 17th century. Then the group portraits were ceremonial, and the participants were portrayed from the front without any statics.
According to scientists, this painting was the reason for the artist's bankruptcy in 1653, as it scared off potential clients.
Technique and paintings
Rembrandt believed that the true goal of the artist is to study nature, so all the painter's paintings turned out to be too photographic: the Dutchman tried to convey every emotion of the person depicted.
Like many talented masters of the "Golden Age" era, Rembrandt has religious motives. Van Rijn's canvases depict not just captured faces, but whole plots with their own history.
In the painting "The Holy Family", which was painted in 1645, the faces of the characters are natural, the Dutchman seems to want to transfer the audience into the cozy atmosphere of a simple peasant family with the help of a brush and paints. Van Rijn's works cannot be traced to a certain pomp. said that Rembrandt painted Madonna in the form of a Dutch peasant woman. Indeed, throughout his life, the artist drew inspiration from the people around him, it is possible that a woman, copied from a maid, lulls a baby on the canvas.
Rembrandt's painting "The Holy Family", 1646 Like many artists, Rembrandt is full of mysteries: after the death of the creator, researchers pondered for a long time about the secrets of his canvases.
For example, on the painting "Danae" (or "Aegina") van Rijn worked for 11 years, starting in 1636. The canvas depicts a young maiden after waking up from sleep. The plot is based on the ancient Greek myth about Danae, daughter of the king of Argos and mother of Perseus.
The researchers of the canvas did not understand why the naked maiden did not look like Saskia. However, after the X-ray, it became clear that originally Danae was painted in the image of Eilenbürch, but after the death of his wife, van Rijn returned to the picture and changed Danae's facial features.
Also, among art critics there were controversies about the heroine depicted on the canvas. Rembrandt did not sign the title of the picture, and the interpretation of the plot was complicated by the absence of a golden rain, according to legend, in the form of which Zeus appeared to Danae. Also, scientists were embarrassed by the wedding ring on the girl's ring finger, which was not consistent with ancient Greek mythology. Rembrandt's masterpiece Danae is in the Russian Hermitage Museum.
The Jewish Bride (1665) is another enigmatic painting by van Rijn. This name was given to the canvas at the beginning of the 19th century, but it is still unknown who is depicted on the canvas, because a young girl and a man are dressed in ancient costumes that resemble biblical clothing. Also popular is the painting "The Return of the Prodigal Son" (1669), which was created for 6 years.
Fragment of the painting by Rembrandt "The Return of the Prodigal Son" If we talk about the style of painting paintings by Rembrandt, then the artist used a minimum of colors, while managing to make the paintings "alive", thanks to the play of light and shadows.
Van Rhine also successfully manages to depict facial expressions: all the people on the canvases of the great painter seem to be alive. For example, in the portrait of an old man - Father Rembrandt (1639), every wrinkle is visible, as well as a wise and sad look.
Personal life
In 1642, Saskia dies of tuberculosis, the lovers had a son, Titus (three other children died in infancy), with whom Rembrandt maintained friendly relations. At the end of 1642, the artist meets a young lady named Gertier Dierckx. Saskia's parents were saddened by the way the widower disposed of the dowry, living in luxury. Later, Dirks sues his lover for breaking his promise to marry her. From the second woman, the artist had a daughter, Cornelia.
Rembrandt's painting "Saskia as the Goddess Flora" In 1656, due to financial difficulties, Rembrandt declared himself bankrupt and left for a secluded house on the outskirts of the capital.
Van Rijn's life did not go on increasing, but on the contrary, went into decline: a happy childhood, wealth and recognition were replaced by departed customers and a beggarly old age. The mood of the artist can be traced in his canvases. So, living with Saskia, he writes joyful and sunny pictures, for example, "Self-portrait with Saskia on her knees" (1635). On the canvas, van Rijn laughs with a sincere laugh, and a radiant light illuminates the room.
If earlier the artist's paintings were detailed, then at the stage of his later work, Rembrandt uses wide strokes, and the sun's rays are replaced by darkness.
The painting "The Conspiracy of Julius Civilis", written in 1661, was not paid for by the customers, because the faces of the participants in the conspiracy are not scrupulously worked out, unlike in previous works by van Rijn.
Painting by Rembrandt "Portrait of the son of Titus" Shortly before his death, living in poverty, in 1665, Rembrandt painted a self-portrait in the image of Zeuxis. Zevkis is an ancient Greek painter who died an ironic death: the artist was amused by a portrait of Aphrodite painted by him in the image of an old woman, and he died of laughter. In the portrait, Rembrandt laughs, the artist did not hesitate to put a share of black humor into the canvas.
Death
Rembrandt interred his son Titus, who died of the plague, in 1668. This sad event sharply worsened the artist's state of mind. Van Rijn died on 4 October 1669 and was buried in the Dutch Westerkerk church in Amsterdam.
Monument to Rembrandt at Rembrandt Square in Amsterdam During his lifetime, the artist painted about 350 canvases and 100 drawings. It took humanity two centuries to appreciate this great artist.
Biography of Rembrandt Tragich-na. Hu-dog-nik was dying in poverty, but before that he lost all his loved ones. His paintings were not appreciated during his lifetime, and the students betrayed him in the most difficult period. But the experience was not a layer of a great painter, the strength of his do-ha was so great that he could d-me-t-Xia and over his own go-res-ty, and even over my very death.
Age of Rembrandt
In the seventeenth century, Holland was one of the richest states in Europe. Various goods flocked to Amsterdam from all over the world. Bankers and merchants wanted to see works that would reflect their lives as truthfully as possible. In such conditions, painting was the most popular and developed form of art. Every self-respecting Dutchman believed that the picture must certainly be present in his home. And it was in such conditions that the creative biography of Rembrandt took shape.
Dutch painters
Some masters painted pictures, others - still lifes, the third were wonderful genre scenes. Still others preferred to portray nature. However, they all tried to portray reality truthfully and without embellishment. But, no matter how great the skill of the Dutch painters was, Rembrandt surpassed everyone.
Such people are born once a century, or even less often. Simplicity and humanity lived in his skill, but in himself there is a whole universe. Like no one else, Rembrandt was able to learn the inner world of a person and his complex emotional experiences. A short biography of this master is presented today in various sources, and after reading it, one wonders how this man could create his canvases when need forced them to give them for nothing, and his fellow writers contemptuously called him a "heretic in painting." Indeed, a real artist creates even when stones are thrown at him.
Lonely painter
He was never surrounded by admirers. Not a single poet sang it during his lifetime. This painter was not invited to official celebrations, and even during the days of grandiose celebrations, he was also forgotten. However, he was not upset. The usual favorite company of Rembrandt consisted of shopkeepers, burghers, peasants and artisans. Common people were extremely close to him. The artist's favorite place was one of the port taverns, where sailors, wandering actors and petty thieves scurried about. There he sat for hours, observing and making sketches. In the world of art, which is nothing more than a special reflection of reality, to see which is given only to a select few, Rembrandt stayed all his life. A biography, a summary of which represents only the most significant facts from life, is set out below. However, to feel the incredible skill of this genius personality, you need to see the works. After all, the artist's life is conveyed in his paintings.
The birth of a genius
In 1606, a son was born into the family of a wealthy Dutch miller named Harmenszoon, who became the sixth child. They called him Rembrandt. The mill was located near the city of the Rhine, and therefore Van Rhine was added to the name of all family members. The full name of one of the greatest figures in world painting is Rembrandt Harmenszoon Van Rijn.
A short biography of this person can be described in just a few words: continuous work and constant creative searches. Perhaps it was talent that saved him. There were so many losses and disappointments in the artist's life that, perhaps, only art could save him from despair. But before moving on to the tragic events in his life, a few words should be said about that time, which was distinguished by cloudlessness and unprecedented success in creativity. It is worth paying tribute to the fate of the great master. Rembrandt Van Rijn was not always lonely and unhappy.
short biography
As a child, Rembrandt studied Latin and other important sciences. Parents did not skimp on the education of their beloved son, because they dreamed that he would become an official or a famous scientist. However, the craving for drawing, which in the early years manifested itself in cute drawings, later, already in adolescence, brought Rembrandt to the workshop of one of the local painters. There he studied for only six months, and then opened his own.
Rembrandt's teachers were contemporaries and artists of the past. He mastered the technique of painting and engraving, studied the art of Italy from copies. One of the first paintings - "Anatomy Lesson Tulpa". We can say that it was from this canvas that Rembrandt the artist began his independent career. His biography says that the first few years after graduation from painting in his life there were only joyful events.
Saxia
At twenty-five, the artist moved to the capital, and three years later he married the mayor's daughter. The girl's name was Saxia. And she became the master's main muse. The image of his wife was immortalized by the famous portrait painter with extraordinary tenderness.
Family happiness coincided with a creative take-off - Rembrandt began to receive high-paying orders from wealthy people. And at the same time, he had many students. The artist was finally able to acquire his own house. whose brief biography is set out in the article, not only wrote a lot, but also revered the talent of other masters. He was engaged in collecting, collecting authentic shells, vases and antique busts. In his new house there was enough space for a workshop, and for living rooms, and for a special room where the works of Raphael, Dürer and Mantegna were kept.
So began his Rembrandt, whose short biography includes only one small period of recognition and success, namely the 30s. During this time, the artist painted over sixty portraits. The most famous of them is Danae. During the period of work on this picture, the painter was at the zenith of his glory.
But suddenly everything changed: three children died, his beloved wife died. He soon lost his mother and sisters. Rembrandt was left alone with his young son. Life cracked, which did not last until the end of his days.
Poverty
In the 50s, orders became less and less. Wealthy people no longer needed his portraits. In churches, paintings were also not required. This was explained by the fact that Protestantism nevertheless won out in Holland, whose representatives looked very negatively at the use of religious motives in the visual arts.
In addition, outstanding debts made themselves felt. A formal lawsuit was filed against Rembrandt. He was declared insolvent, and all the property was sold. But even after that, not all creditors were satisfied, and the court ruled that the paintings that will be created in the future should also go towards paying off the remaining debts. All this meant an absolutely beggarly existence.
The painter, who in the past knew fame and fortune, by the age of fifty turned into a lonely poor man forgotten by all. Although he still painted a lot, all his canvases were immediately taken away by creditors. The consolation was the second wife, with whom Rembrandt was only in a civil marriage, which was highly disapproved by society. However, marriage to this woman meant for him the loss of custody of his son.
So a new difficult period began, which Rembrandt Harmenszoon Van Rijn nevertheless endured with extraordinary courage. From that moment on, the artist's biography consists more of sorrows, and even if moments of enlightenment came, it did not last long, and then some tragedy happened again.
Hendrickje
The image of the second wife is also captured on the canvases of the famous painter. She was inferior to the first in youth and beauty, but the artist looked at her with the eyes of love and portrayed her with great warmth. But the church condemned his way of life, and the daughter, which the second wife gave Rembrandt, was declared illegitimate. The plight led to the fact that the painter's family was forced to move to one of the poorest quarters of Amsterdam.
Rembrandt, whose biography contains many sad facts, knew true love. And Hendrickje was not only a caring and loving wife, but also was distinguished by extraordinary kindness. This woman was able to replace the mother to the son of Rembrandt from his first marriage.
For a while, they managed to improve their financial situation. In this the artist was helped by his son, who, together with his stepmother, opened an antique shop. But fate continued to test the artist. In 1663 he lost his beloved Hendrickje Rembrandt.
The biography and books dedicated to the life of the great master tell that there was another muse in his life. This woman was much younger than Rembrandt, but her unfortunate artist also survived.
The son died five years after the death of Hendrickje. With Rembrandt, only a daughter remained, who at that time was fourteen. But, in spite of everything, the painter did not stop there and did not give up. He also continued to paint, cut engravings ...
In 1669, the great painter died in the arms of his daughter. He left quietly and imperceptibly. And his talent was appreciated only after his death.
Creation
Rembrandt's biography is a life story of a martyr. His work is the pinnacle This master, however, was extremely alone among his fellow artists. His contemporaries did not recognize him. But the baroque art, and above all the work of Michelangelo, had a huge influence on the work of the Dutch painter.
The artist painted what he saw with his own eyes in real life. Rembrandt's biography says that his life developed in such a way that he was able to see the world around him without embellishment. He transferred the sad experience of contemplation to the canvas. But the way he did it was distinguished by extraordinary poetry. Twilight always reigns on Van Rijn's canvases. Delicate golden light makes the figures stand out from it.
Biblical motives
Religion played an important role in the work of the Dutch artist. It was here that he showed the originality of his skill. Biblical subjects were the main source of inspiration throughout the entire career of Rembrandt. Even when paintings on religious themes were no longer in demand, he painted them for himself, because he felt an irresistible need for this. In the canvases devoted to this topic, he put his soul, his prayer, as well as a deep reading of the Gospel.
The artist's recent work is amazing. And the first thing that catches your eye is the refinement of the style, the depth of penetration into the inner world of artistic images. Rembrandt's biography and his paintings seem to have no connection. The images on the canvases are so pacified that it is in no way combined with the difficult tragic fate of the author.
New genre
In recent years, the artist has often painted self-portraits. When looking at them, one gets the impression that Rembrandt was trying to unravel his own life. Looking in them, as in a mirror, he strove to know his fate and the plan of God, which so bizarrely led him through life. His self-portraits have become not only the pinnacle of creativity. There is nothing like this in world art. These canvases have no analogues in the history of portraiture.
The last self-portraits portray a person with a spiritualized face who heroically endures difficult trials and overcomes the bitterness of loss. Rembrandt is the founder of a kind. Such paintings convey not only the external appearance, but also the fate of a person, his inner world.
The biography and work of Rembrandt in the fifties were marked primarily by outstanding achievements in painting a portrait. During this period, his works were distinguished, as a rule, by an impressive size, monumentality of forms and calm, serene postures. The sitters often sat in pompous deep armchairs, their hands folded on their knees and their faces turned towards the viewer. One of the characteristic features of the great portraitist is the highlighting of the face and hands with light.
As a rule, the sitters were middle-aged people, sophisticated by hard life experience - old men and women with gloomy thoughts on their faces and backbreaking work on their hands. Such models provided the artist with the opportunity to brilliantly demonstrate not only the external signs of old age, but also the inner world of a person. In the unusually heartfelt portraits of the great Rembrandt, one can feel, with a long study, a person's life. When the master portrayed relatives, friends, unfamiliar old people, urban beggars, he could convey with amazing vigilance subtle emotional movements, a lively awe in his face and even a change of mood.
The legacy of this master is enormous. Rembrandt was distinguished by his incredible capacity for work: he created more than two hundred and fifty paintings, three hundred engravings and a thousand drawings. The great master died in poverty. It was only after death that the canvases created by Rembrandt began to be valued dearly.
A short biography and work of the Dutch painter is presented in this article. But this gives a very superficial understanding of the difficult path of a genius who played an outstanding role in the development of world fine art. Today, the master's canvases are in many museums around the world and are included in private collections.
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn is a world famous painter and printmaker. 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 considered in this article, was born into the family of the miller Harmen Gerrits in 1606. His mother's name was Neltje Willemsdochter van Rijn.
Due to the fact that things were going well with my father 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 studying there, so his success left much to be desired. As a result, the father yielded to his son's requests and allowed him to go to study at the art workshop of Jacob van Svanenbürch.
The biography of Rembrandt is interesting in that his first mentor did not have a strong influence on the artistic style of the painter. The greatest influence on the aspiring artist was made by his second teacher, to whom he switched after three years of work at Svanenbürch. It was Peter Lastman, whom Rembrandt decided to follow when he moved to live in Amsterdam.
Creativity and biography of the artist
A short biography of Rembrandt van Rijn does not allow for a detailed presentation of his entire career and life, but the main points are still quite possible to make out.
In 1623, the artist returned home to the city of Leiden, where by 1628 he had acquired his own students. Information about his earliest known works dates back to 1627.
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn steadily and diligently walked towards his creative success - the biography of the talented painter indicates that in the early stages of his work he worked tirelessly.
At that time, he painted mainly his family and friends, as well as scenes from the life of his hometown. The Kassel gallery contains 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 throughout the world as Rembrandt. Even then, the biography and work of this painter 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 life of an artist. 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 marries Saskia van Uhlenborch, the daughter of a successful lawyer. In many ways, this marked the most successful period in the life and work of the artist. He has enough money and many orders, which he willingly fulfills.
The biography of Rembrandt of that period indicates that he was very fond of painting his wife, and not only in portraits, but also often her image can be seen in other paintings of the painter.
The most famous paintings depicting the artist's young wife are:
- "Portrait of Rembrandt's Bride";
- "Portrait of Saskia";
- "Rembrandt with his wife".
Rembrandt: a brief 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 artist's whole life 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 former maid, Gendrikie Jagers, became his life partner.
During that life period, the artist experienced severe material difficulties, and not because of a lack of work and orders, but because of his own addiction to 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 order to pay debts. From that moment on, the artist lived in a hotel.
Worsening situation
The Hendrikies and Rembrandt's son Titus 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 business of the company also passed away.
The financial situation of the great artist becomes simply terrible, but poverty has not killed his desire to create. He continues to persistently paint pictures, which, however, no longer enjoy the same success among his contemporaries as before, because the tastes of the public have changed over the years.
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn died in October 1669, completely 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 most prominent representatives.
The main leitmotif of all his work can be called realism, which permeates all of the author's works. Even depicting mythological plots, Rembrandt demonstrates the ancient Greek gods and goddesses in the guise of the inhabitants of Holland today. A striking example of this can be called the painting "Danae", which is kept in the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.
Some mythological paintings generally have a half-caricature image of gods and goddesses. This can be traced in the work "The Abduction of Ganymede" (second name "Ganymede in the claws of an eagle"), kept in the Dresden Museum. Here the proportions of Ganymede's body do not correspond to reality, which speaks not of the low level of skill of the artist of the picture, but of his purposeful caricatured 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 artist's portraits are generally distinguished by unprecedented realism and believability 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.
The artist treats various little things and small accessories very carefully and precisely for this kind of work. This can be clearly seen in the pictures:
- Calligrapher (State Hermitage);
- Anatomy Lesson (Mauritshuis);
- "Guild of Weavers" (Amsterdam Museum).
Creative style
For the works of Rembrandt, it is characteristic that all important elements of the picture are always brought to the fore by the artist, regardless of compositional features. The artist does not always strive to show whether the people or objects depicted are correct from the point of view of reality. He is characterized by deliberate exaggeration.
The main feature that has gone through all of his works is the lack of bright colors and brilliance. 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 made the greatest emphasis on the play of colors with light and shadow. In this, his skill is recognized and unsurpassed to this day. Sometimes the light and shadow play of colors on the artist's canvases is so strong that art experts are still arguing about what time of day is depicted in the picture.
One of the brightest examples of Rembrandt's paintings with such a magnificent palette is perhaps his most famous painting "Night Watch", the debate about which continues today.
"The night Watch"
This picture bears the official name "Speech by the rifle company of Captain Frans Banning Kock and Lieutenant Willem van Ruutenbürg", but all over the world it is usually 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 of not only 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 in it something of their own, everyone has their own impression and opinion about this canvas. But the fact always remains unchanged that this magnificent work of the famous creator leaves absolutely no one indifferent.
Conclusion
Today, the painter and printmaker Rembrandt, whose brief biography and work have been 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 eagerly bought for fabulous money at auctions where paintings and works of art are sold, and the name of Rembrandt is heard by anyone who has even the slightest idea of art.
It is difficult to overestimate the creative contribution of this great artist to the painting and culture of his country and the whole world. It is not for nothing that today the Dutch school of painting is primarily associated with the name of Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn.