Top 10 Facts about Rembrandt

By Rembrandt – Wikimedia

Top 10 Facts about Rembrandt

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn was born in 1606 in the Netherlands. He is famously known by his first name, Rembrandt. He was a great sketch artist, painter and a printmaker.

His art is among the most important in the history of Dutch art. Rembrandt’s work represents different styles and subject matters. He was regarded as the greatest visual artist of his time.

Unlike most Dutch masters of the 17th century, Rembrandt produced several portraits and self-portraits, landscapes, genre scenes, and classical antiquity.

His art greatly contributed to the wealth and cultural achievement of the Dutch Golden Age. Rembrandt not only loved to create art but also collecting art.

The Night Watch was Rembrandt’s most famous work produced in 1642.

Here are the top 10 facts about Rembrandt.

1. Rembrandt never left his country but his art influenced artists from other countries

Rembrandt was born, grew up and died in the Netherlands without setting foot outside their borders.

This did not stop his influence through art. His work inspired Italian artists as well as those in the Netherlands.

Some of the artists that loved Rembrandt’s work were Pieter Lastman, Utrecht Caravaggists, Flemish Baroque, and Peter Paul Rubens. All these men had gone to Italy to study art.

Rembrandt became a successful portrait painter with his paintings and etchings becoming popular. His reputation as an artist was at an all-time high.

 He also taught art to fellow Dutch painters for more than two decades. Rembrandt is the most successful and revered artist of the Dutch Golden Age.

2. He spent most of his life at Leiden

Rembrandt House Museum – Wikimedia

Rembrandt grew up in the city of Leiden, it is here that he lived for about 25 years. He went to a local Latin school then later joined Leiden University aged 14.

He did not graduate from university because he loved painting more, a decision that paid off.

As he progressed in his artistic work, Rembrandt realized that he could make more money in Amsterdam than in Leiden.

Life in Leiden was not favourable to artists. Amsterdam was then known as the home of the Dutch Golden Age.

Rembrandt moved to Amsterdam where he joined the painter’s guild and practised as a professional painter. His time in Amsterdam was a great success.

Six months later, Rembrandt moved back to Leiden where he set up his own business.

3. Three of his children did not live to adulthood

Rembrandt got married to Saskia and was blessed with four children. Unfortunately, only one of his children survived to adulthood.

His wife died a short while after giving birth to their last child, Titus. Her death was due to tuberculosis.

Twelve years later, Rembrandt fell in love with his housekeeper Hendrickje Stoffels. The two have a daughter, whom they named Cornelia.

Stoffels passed on from a plaque while his son, who died a few years later, was only 26.

4. Despite his success in art, Rembrandt died poor

By Rembrandt – Wikimedia

Rembrandt’s career as a painter was very successful. This meant that money was in plenty due to the many commissioned jobs he got.

After marrying Saskia, they moved to an affluent neighbourhood over River Amstel. He wanted the best life could offer.

They lived here for a short while before moving into a more grandeur home. This new home was close to his studio.

The new house turned out to be more expensive than he had anticipated. Rembrandt was spending more money than he was earning.

He made a series of bad investments that came to haunt him later in life. Rembrandt became bankrupt in 1656, he was forced to move out of the house.

The house is today the Rembrandt House Museum.   

5. Rembrandt had more self-portraits than his paintings

During his lifetime, Rembrandt created more than 90 self-portraits. He also painted his face in other paintings.

In most of his paintings. Rembrandt had his face as a spectator in a crowd. He loved self-portraits and had as many as 80 self-portraits.

Most of his self-portraits can be found around the world. Art critics believe that he invented selfies.

The self-portraits portrayed different emotions. He used a palette knife to apply oil paint straight to the canvas.

6. Rembrandt had other talents

Rembrandt statue and the sculptures of The Night Watch By Hippolyte – Wikimedia

He was not only a talented artist but also a printmaker, landscape art, portraiture, as well as narrative painting.

Rembrandt played with light and shadows. This took him to new levels of realism.

He loved to collect art and teach.

7. He may or may not have painted over 2,000 paintings

Art scholars are yet to agree on the exact number of paintings Rembrandt painted in his lifetime.

They believe that only about 400 paintings on canvas are his original work. There are more than 2,000 works of art that have been attributed to Rembrandt.

He had a large studio where he did his paintings as well as teach several students. During those days, students worked on paintings started by their teacher.  

This has rendered it almost impossible to tell his students to work from his.

8. Rembrandt is considered to be the best portrait artist to ever live

A self-portrait By Rembrandt – Wikimedia

In the 1600s, the best way to capture family moments was through a portrait. This meant going to an artist and pose while they paint your portrait.

One of the artists that had garnered a lot of fame for a great job was Rembrandt.

He is considered to be the greatest portrait artist of all time. He not only painted his family but royalty too.

Rembrandt captured the person’s personality and emotions on canvas. All the portraits he did showed the people in their natural state and real.

His later paintings showed the people in action rather than the still portraits he did.

9. Rembrandt was full of controversy

Other artists see Rembrandt as one of the most controversial artists in history.

They did not believe he was an artistic genius but rather an artist who got better with time.

Some of Rembrandt’s outstanding critics include Constantijn Huygens, Joachim von Sandrart, Andries Pels.

10. Night watch is Rembrandt’s best-known work

The Night Watch By Rembrandt – Wikimedia

The Night Watch was commissioned by the civic militia. It is knowns as The Militia Copany of Captain Frans Banning Cocq.

This painting got its name The Night Watch because of the darkened atmosphere in the scene.

Rembrandt achieved the darkness through the varnish and the diffusion of the original painting through bright sunlight.

The original piece had two full figures on the left side that are missing. After it was completed, the art was cut down on all sides to fit its home in Amsterdam.