Rembrandt Van Rijn, whose paintings can be seen in many museums in the world, is today known to every person on Earth. Fear and joy, surprise and indignation in his works are reflected so naturally that it is impossible not to believe them. The frenzied popularity, the tragic fate and the sad decline of life are still the occasion for gossip and philosophical reasoning.
Youth
The artist Rembrandt was born in a baker's family in 1606 in the Dutch city of Leiden, located on the banks of the Rhine. Very early on, he felt an artistic talent in himself. After studying at home for several years, the young man went to Amsterdam to take lessons from the famous painter Lastman. The training did not last long, and at the age of 19, Rembrandt returned to Leiden. At this time, he paints portraits of his family and friends, and also pays great attention to self-portraits. Many works of the author have survived to this day, where he portrays himself in various images.
Confession
Once a novice artist receives an excellent order from the guild of surgeons. So the work “Anatomy Lesson” appears. The picture brings Rembrandt recognition. He immediately receives more than fifty orders for portraits of nobles and Amsterdam nobles. Simultaneously with the popularity, the welfare of the master is growing. He begins to collect antiques and antique costumes. He gets a chic house that fills with exquisite antique furniture and art.
Saskia
At 28, Rembrandt, whose paintings are becoming increasingly popular, marries a wealthy girl Saskia. He married for love and not only saved, but also increased the capital of his beloved. Rembrandt idolized his wife, often portraying in various images in his works. One of the artist’s most famous paintings, Self Portrait with Saskia, shows a happy Rembrandt with his young wife. At the same time, the artist receives an order for a series of works with a biblical plot. So there are pictures of Rembrandt with the names "Sacrifice of Abraham" and "Feast of Belshazzar." Also, one of the most famous works of the Danae master belongs to this period. The picture was copied by the artist several times and has several copyright options.
Sunset of life
The artist's carefree time did not last long. Not everyone liked Rembrandt's way of portraying a person as he is. After writing the painting "Night Watch" an incredible scandal erupted. Outsiders appeared on the canvas. Perhaps the reason was that in the midst of work, his beloved Saskia died of tuberculosis. In the picture, along with the figures of the archers, the silhouette of a girl resembling the master’s wife is visible. The popularity of the author begins to decline. Almost no new orders. Having lost his house and all his property, Rembrandt, whose paintings take on a new, philosophical meaning, begins to portray ordinary people and his loved ones. He writes a lot of the image of his son, as well as the people who surround him in the last years of his life. At this time, Rembrandt’s paintings were born with the names “Portrait of an Old Man in Red”, “Portrait of a Titus Son Reading” and other works. At the end of his life, another masterpiece appears from under the pen of the master - “The Return of the Prodigal Son”. In this picture, the master portrays himself an eternal wanderer, who is forced to wander along the difficult roads of everlasting glory. In 1969, having buried his son with his bride, Rembrandt himself dies, having left his creative mark in this world forever. Today, the artist’s paintings take pride of place in any major museum in the world.
The most famous paintings of Rembrandt. "Anatomy Lesson" (1632)
This painting is the first major order received by Rembrandt after his move to Amsterdam. The canvas shows an autopsy performed by Dr. Tulp. The doctor holds his hands with tendon forceps, showing his students how fingers are bent. Similar group portraits at that time were very popular among the guilds of doctors. True, as a rule, members of the group posed for them, sitting in a row. Rembrandt, whose paintings were natural and realism, portrayed students in a tight circle, carefully listening to the words of Dr. Tulp. Pale faces and the corpse itself with bright light spots stand out against the dark and dark background of the picture. The work brought Rembrandt its first popularity, after which orders fell on the author with incredible speed.
"Self-portrait with Saskia" (1635)
Throughout his life, Rembrandt has written an incredible amount of self-portraits. This picture is one of the most famous. Here the artist's glee from the happiness of owning a beloved is depicted. The emotional state of the painter is reflected in the open look of the characters, in the radiant face of Rembrandt, as if choking with happiness and prosperity. However, the hidden concealment also lurks in the portrait: after all, the artist portrays himself in the image of the very “prodigal son", reveling with an ordinary courtesan. How very different the “prodigal son” in this self-portrait is from that which viewers know from the picture of the same name!
Danae (1636)
The most famous of Rembrandt's paintings. It was written based on the myth of the mother of Perseus, Danae. According to legend, the girl’s father found out that he would die from the son of his own daughter, and imprisoned her in a dungeon. Zeus entered the prisoner in the form of a rain of gold, after which Perseus was born. The picture attracts an unusual flavor characteristic of the artist's work. In the center is a nude woman whose body is illuminated by bright sunlight. In this image, Rembrandt, whose paintings often depict people close to him, captured the image of his beloved wife Saskia. The image of an angel was attributed after the death of his wife. It seems that he always cries for the fate of the deceased. Rembrandt for a long time rewrote his favorite child, changing the mood of the picture in accordance with his feelings. The combination of shimmering tones and golden highlights is striking in its sophistication and splendor.
The fate of the painting is amazing and dramatic, as is the life story of the artist himself. A masterpiece after the death of the author has changed many owners. After acquiring the work of Catherine II, Danae took pride of place in the famous Hermitage collection. In 1985, an unpleasant incident occurred in the museum, which almost deprived the world of the opportunity to contemplate the work of Rembrandt. One crazy man went up to the picture and splashed acid on it. The paint immediately began to bubble. But this was not enough for the attacker: he managed to make a couple of cuts on the canvas with a knife until he was stopped. Damage affected about 30% of the masterpiece. The maniac turned out to be a certain Bronius Maygis, who later spent 6 years in a psychiatric clinic. The restoration of the painting lasted 12 years. Now it is on display in the Hermitage under armored glass that protects the masterpiece from vandals. Another fact is interesting. A work of art and its reproductions are often shot in films. For example, “Danae” appears in the series “Gangster Petersburg” as a picture of Rembrandt's “Aegina”.
"Night Watch" (1642)
The painting was commissioned by Rembrandt as the head of the infantry division. On the canvas depicts a company of militias, which goes on a campaign. Musketeers, encouraged by a drum roll, are depicted along with soldiers of various social status and age, ready for battle. All of them are united by masculinity and a patriotic impulse. The work is thorough in drawing all the images and details. Rembrandt’s painting “Night Watch” evokes in viewers viewing it a complete sense of the reality of what is happening. The author tried not only to show the external features of all the characters, but also to reveal the inner world of each soldier. The apotheosis of the picture is the triumphal arch - a symbol of past successes and a harbinger of a new glorious victory. With the help of colorful colors (gold, black and yellow) the viewer reveals the energy, drama and solemnity of the military mood. The character and fate of each character is read thanks to the brush of a famous artist.
There are many versions about the girl depicted almost in the center of the picture. She is different from all the bright colors and angelic appearance. Perhaps this is a mascot of the militias. According to another version, the girl is the image of the author’s beloved wife, who went to another world in the midst of painting. As you know, the work did not please customers. After they bought the painting, they barbarously cut the canvas and hung it in the banquet hall.
“The Return of the Prodigal Son” (1666-1669 gg.)
Rembrandt’s painting “The Return of the Prodigal Son” is one of the brightest peaks of the work of the famous artist. It was written in the last years of the master’s life. This time, when he was very old and weak, he needed and was starving. The theme of the prodigal son has repeatedly and previously appeared in the artist's work. This work is a conclusion, summing up the results of many years of creative wanderings of the famous author. The picture radiates all the warmth and depth of the Rembrandt palette. Flickering colors and an elegant play of light and shadow emphasize the images of the main characters. In the guise of the venerable old man and his prodigal son, a whole gamut of diverse feelings is expressed: repentance and love, mercy and the bitterness of belated insight. According to art critics, in the “Return” revealed the entire psychological talent of the painter. He put all his accumulated creative experience, all his passion, all his inspiration into his brainchild.
Conclusion
It is hard to even imagine how Rembrandt portrayed the paintings described in this article. How many years have passed since the day of their creation, how much soot from greasy candles covered them in three centuries of history! We can only guess how they looked on their birthdays. Meanwhile, to this day, millions of admirers of the talent of the famous painter in various museums of the world come to see his masterpieces.