A brief biography of Rembrandt and his work presented in the article will introduce you to one of the greatest artists of all time. Rembrandt Harmenszoon Van Rijn (years of life - 1606-1669) - a famous Dutch painter, etcher and draftsman. His work is permeated with the desire to comprehend the essence of life, as well as the inner world of man. Rembrandt was interested in the richness of emotional experiences inherent in people. The work of this artist is the pinnacle of Dutch art of the 17th century. It is also considered one of the most important pages of the artistic culture of the whole world. Even people who are far from painting know his works. Rembrandt is an amazing artist whose life and work will surely interest you.
Rembrandt's artistic heritage
The artistic heritage that he left us is extremely diverse. Rembrandt painted portraits, landscapes, still lifes, genre scenes. He created paintings on mythological, biblical, historical themes, as well as other works. Rembrandt is an unsurpassed master of etching and drawing.
Life in Leiden
The life of Rembrandt in 1620 was marked by a short study at Leiden University. Then he decided to devote his life to art. To this end, he studied first in Leiden with J. van SvanenbĂĽrch (around 1620-23), and then in P. Amsterdam with P. Lastman (in 1623). In the period from 1625 to 1631 the artist worked in Leiden. Here he created his first works of Rembrandt.
It should be noted that his works related to the Leiden period are characterized by a search for the creative independence of the author, despite the fact that they show the influence of Lastman, as well as representatives of Dutch caravagism. An example is the work "Bringing to the Temple", created around 1628-29. In "The Apostle Paul" (circa 1629-30), as well as in "Simeon in the temple" (1631), the artist first resorted to chiaroscuro as a means designed to enhance the emotional expressiveness and spirituality of images. At the same time, Rembrandt worked hard on the portrait. He studied facial expressions.
1630 years in the life of Rembrandt
An important event in the life of the master occurred in 1632. Moving to Amsterdam marked the biography of the artist Rembrandt. His biography, relating to this time, is as follows.
In Amsterdam, the artist of interest to us soon married. His chosen one was Saskia van Eilenburch, a wealthy patrician (her portrait is presented above). This woman was an orphan. Her father was a member of the council of Friesland, a burgomaster from Leeverden. Saskia's two brothers were lawyers. Among the relatives of this woman are many government officials and scholars. She brought a ray of happiness into the lonely home of the artist. Rembrandt furnished his house with many rare things, as a result of which he became a real museum. The master spent a lot of time in junk shops, at sales and auctions. He bought prints and paintings, Indian and Chinese carved trinkets, old weapons, statues, precious crystal and porcelain. All these things served as the backdrop for the paintings that he created. They inspired the artist. Rembrandt liked to dress his wife in velvet, brocade and silk. He showered her with pearls and diamonds. Life was easy and joyful, full of creativity, work and love. In general, the 1630s are a time of family happiness and great artistic success.
Portraits of 1630
All portraits dating back to 1630 demonstrate the subtlety and observation of Rembrandt. This brings him closer to Keyser, van der Helst, Rubens and Van Dyck. These paintings are usually made on a light gray smooth background. Often oval format are his works. Rembrandt created portraits that strike with enormous plastic power. It is achieved by simplifying chiaroscuro and black-and-white harmony, as well as by the direct look of the model. All works are full of dignity, attracting attention with composition and dynamic ease. In the paintings of the Amsterdam period, compared with the Leiden, a smoother texture. The rhythm of the hands has a symbolic meaning (the artist intentionally does not show one hand). This, as well as the rotation of the head of the figure resembles the variability and fleetingness of the Baroque.
Characteristics of some portraits of the 1630s
Describing the life and work of Rembrandt of this period, one cannot but refer to the portraits he created. They are quite numerous. The work of Rembrandt "Lesson in Anatomy of Dr. Tulp" (pictured above) was created in 1632. In it, the author innovatively approached the solution of the group portrait problem, as a result of which the composition turned out to be laid-back. Rembrandt united all the people represented in the picture in a single action. This work brought him great fame.
In other portraits, created by numerous orders, the artist carefully conveyed clothing, facial features, jewelry. One example is the portrait of a Burggraph, written in 1636 by Rembrandt Garmens van Rijn. The life and work of any artist are closely related. For example, portraits of people close to Rembrandt and his self-portraits are more diverse and free in composition (one of them, created in 1634, is presented above). In them, the artist was not afraid to experiment, striving for psychological expressiveness. Here you should also mention the self-portrait, created in 1634, and "Smiling Saskia", written in 1633.
The famous painting "Merry Society", or "Self-portrait with Saskia" (a photo of this work is presented above), completed the search for this period. It was written around 1635 by Rembrandt van Rijn. The life and work of the artist are revealed in a special way in this work. In it, he boldly breaks with the canons that existed at that time. The picture is distinguished by a free manner of painting, a lively immediacy of the composition, as well as filled with light, major, colorful gamut.
Biblical compositions and mythological scenes 1630
In 1630, the artist created biblical compositions. One of the most famous is the "Sacrifice of Abraham." It dates back to 1635. Biblical compositions of this time are marked by the influence of Italian Baroque painting. Its effect is manifested in the dynamics of the composition (somewhat forced), black and white contrasts, the sharpness of the angles.
In the work of Rembrandt of this time, a special place belongs to mythological scenes. In them, the artist did not follow the classical traditions and canons, challenging them boldly. One of the works that can be noted here is The Abduction of Ganymede (1635).
Danae
The monumental composition entitled "Danae" fully embodied the aesthetic views of Rembrandt. In this work, he seems to enter into a dispute with the great artists of the Renaissance. Danae's nude figure depicted by Rembrandt does not correspond to classical ideals. The artist performed this work with realistic spontaneity, very bold for that time. He contrasted the ideal, sensual-bodily beauty of the images created by Italian masters with the spiritual beauty, as well as the warmth of human feeling.
Other jobs
Also in 1630, Rembrandt devoted much time to work in the technique of engraving and etching. His works such as The Wandering Couple and The Seller of Rat Poison can be noted. The artist also created pencil drawings, generalized in a manner and very bold.
The work of Rembrandt in 1640
These years are marked by a conflict between the innovative works of Rembrandt and the very limited requests of his contemporaries. This conflict was evident in 1642. Then the work of Rembrandt's "Night Watch" caused strong protests from customers. They did not accept the main idea of ​​the artist. Rembrandt, instead of the usual group portrait, depicted a heroically elevated composition in which, on an alarm, the guild of shooters comes forward. That is, it was, one might say, a historical picture. She woke up the contemporaries' memories of the war of liberation waged by the Dutch people.
After this work, the flow of Rembrandt's orders decreased. His life was also overshadowed by the death of Saskia. In the 1640s, the artist’s work lost its visual effect. The notes of majority characteristic of him earlier also disappeared. Rembrandt begins to write calm genre and biblical scenes, full of intimacy and warmth. In them, he reveals the subtlest nuances of feelings, feelings of kinship, emotional closeness. Among these works, the Holy Family of 1645, as well as the painting David and Jonathan (1642) should be noted.
Both in graphics and in Rembrandt’s painting, a very subtle play of chiaroscuro is gaining in importance. She creates a special atmosphere - emotionally intense, dramatic. It should be noted the monumental graphic sheet of Rembrandt "Christ healing the sick", as well as the "Sheet of a hundred guilders", created around 1642-46. It is also necessary to name the landscape of 1643 "Three Trees", full of light and air dynamics.
1650 years in the work of Rembrandt
This time was marked by severe life tests that fell to the artist. It was 1650 that the period of his creative maturity began. Rembrandt is increasingly turning to portraiture. He portrays the people closest to him. Among these works, it is worth noting the numerous portraits of Hendrickier Stoffels, the second wife of the artist. Also noteworthy was the Portrait of the Old Woman created in 1654. In 1657, the artist wrote another of his famous works - “Son Titus reading”.
Images of ordinary people and old people
The images of ordinary people, especially the elderly, are increasingly attracting the artist. They are in his works the embodiment of spiritual wealth and life wisdom. In 1654, Rembrandt created "Portrait of the artist’s brother’s wife", and in 1652-1654 - "Portrait of an old man in red" (pictured above). The painter begins to be interested in hands and face, which are illuminated by soft light. They are as if pulled out of the dark. The faces of the figures are characterized by subtle facial expressions. This shows the complex movement of their feelings and thoughts. Rembrandt alternates light and pasty strokes, which makes the surface of the picture iridescent with black and white and colorful shades.
Difficult financial situation
In 1656, the artist was declared insolvent, as a result of which all his property went under the hammer. Rembrandt was forced to move to the Jewish quarter of the city of Amsterdam. Here he spent the rest of his life in extremely cramped conditions.
The work of Rembrandt Harmenszoon Van Rijn 1660
Biblical compositions created in 1660 summarize Rembrandt's reflections on the meaning of life. In his work of this time there are paintings on the collision of light and dark principles in the soul of man. A number of works on this topic were created by Rembrandt Harmenszoon Van Rijn, whose biography and list of paintings we are interested in. Among such works, the work "Assur, Haman, and Esther," created in 1660, should be noted; as well as David and Uriah, or The Fall of Haman (1665). They are characterized by a flexible style of writing, a warm, rich gamut, a complex texture of the surface, an intense play of light and shadow. All this is necessary for the artist to reveal complex emotional experiences and conflicts, to confirm the victory of good over evil.
The historical painting by Rembrandt called "The Conspiracy of Julius Civilis", also known as the "Convent of the Batavians", was created in 1661. She is imbued with heroism and severe drama.
"The Return of the Prodigal Son"
In the last year of his life, the artist created the work "The Return of the Prodigal Son." It dates from 1668-69 years. This monumental canvas is the main masterpiece of Rembrandt. It embodies all the moral, aesthetic and artistic issues characteristic of the late period of his work. The artist with the highest skill recreates in this picture a whole gamut of deep and complex human feelings. He submits artistic means to the disclosure of the beauty of forgiveness, compassion, understanding. In avaricious gestures and expressive poses, the culmination of the transition from tension of feelings to the successful resolution of passions is embodied. In the photo above, you can see this latest work by Rembrandt.
The death of Rembrandt, the significance of his work
The famous Dutch painter, etcher and draftsman died in Amsterdam on October 4, 1669. Harmenszoon Van Rijn Rembrandt, whose works are known and loved by many, had a huge impact on the further development of painting. This is noticeable not only in the works of his students, of whom Karel Fabrizius came to understand Rembrandt closest to everyone, but also in the works of every Dutch artist, more or less significant. The paintings of many artists reflect the influence of such an artist as Rembrandt van Rijn. The work "Swamp", the author of which is Jacob van Reisdal, is probably one of such works. It presents the desert part of the forest flooded with water. This picture carries a symbolic meaning.
Subsequently, the great Rembrandt had a strong influence on the development of realistic art as a whole. To this day, many people are interested in his paintings and biography. This suggests that his work is really very valuable. Rembrandt's masterpieces, the description of many of which were presented in this article, still inspire artists.