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.
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.
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 Harmenszoon van Rijn systematically and diligently walked towards his creative success - the biography of a talented painter indicates 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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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 artist’s portrait works are generally distinguished by realism and believability unprecedented for his time, which speaks of the master’s incredible talent and ability to transfer what he saw in life onto 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:
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 play of colors on the artist's canvases is so strong that art experts still argue 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 "The Night Watch", disputes about which do not stop today.
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.
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 paintings of which can be seen in many museums around the world, today is known to every person on Earth. Fear and joy, surprise and indignation are reflected in his works so naturally that it is impossible not to believe them. Crazy popularity, tragic fate and the sad decline of life still remain a reason for gossip and philosophical reasoning.
The artist Rembrandt was born in the family of a baker in 1606 in the Dutch city of Leiden, located on the banks of the Rhine. Very early he felt his artistic talent. 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 back to Leiden. At this time, he paints portraits of his relatives and friends, and also pays great attention to self-portraits. Many works of the author have survived to this day, where he depicts himself in various images.
One day, an aspiring artist receives an excellent order from the Guild of Surgeons. This is how the work "Anatomy Lesson" appears. The painting brings Rembrandt recognition. He immediately receives more than fifty commissions for portraits of grandees and Amsterdam nobility. Simultaneously with popularity, the well-being of the master also grows. He begins to collect antiques and period costumes. He acquires a chic home that he fills with exquisite period furniture and art.
At the age of 28, Rembrandt, whose paintings are becoming more and more popular, marries a rich girl, Saskia. He married for love and not only preserved, but also increased the capital of his beloved. Rembrandt idolized his wife, often portraying her 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 story. So there are paintings by Rembrandt with the names "The Sacrifice of Abraham" and "The Feast of Belshazzar." Also, one of the most famous works of the master “Danae” belongs to this period. The picture was rewritten by the artist several times and has several author's options.
The carefree time of the artist did not last long. Not everyone liked Rembrandt's manner of portraying a person as he is. After writing the painting "Night Watch" an incredible scandal erupted. Foreign faces 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 archers, you can see the silhouette of a girl, so reminiscent of the master's wife. The popularity of the author begins to fall. There are 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 their loved ones. He writes a lot about 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 titles "Portrait of an old man in red", "Portrait of the son of Titus reading" and other works. At the end of his life, another masterpiece appears from the master's pen - "The Return of the Prodigal Son". In this picture, the master depicts himself as an eternal wanderer, who is forced to wander along the difficult roads of changeable glory. In 1969, having buried his son with his bride, Rembrandt himself dies, leaving his creative mark on this world forever. Today, the artist's paintings take pride of place in any major museum in the world.
This painting is the first major commission received by Rembrandt after his move to Amsterdam. The canvas depicts an autopsy performed by Dr. Tulp. The doctor holds the tendons of his hand with forceps, showing his students how to bend the fingers. 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 distinguished by naturalness and realism, portrayed the students in a close circle, attentively listening to the words of Dr. Tulp. Pale faces and the corpse itself stand out with bright light spots against the gloomy and dark background of the picture. The work brought Rembrandt the first popularity, after which orders fell on the author with incredible speed.
Throughout his life, Rembrandt painted an incredible number of self-portraits. This painting is one of the most famous. Here the artist's jubilation from the happiness of owning his 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 well-being. However, a hidden provocation lurks in the portrait: after all, the artist portrays himself in the image of that same “prodigal son” feasting with an ordinary courtesan. How much the “prodigal son” in this self-portrait differs from the one that the audience knows from the picture of the same name!
The most famous of Rembrandt's paintings. It was written based on the myth of Perseus' mother, 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 with its unusual color, characteristic of the artist's work. In the center is a naked 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 is always crying for the fate of the deceased. Rembrandt rewrote his favorite brainchild for a long time, 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 magnificence.
The fate of the painting is amazing and dramatic, as is the life story of the artist himself. After the death of the author, the masterpiece changed many owners. After the acquisition of the work by 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 madman approached the painting 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 Bronyus Maigis, 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 the protection of the masterpiece from vandals. Another fact is also interesting. A work of art and its reproductions are often filmed. For example, "Danae" appears in the series "Gangster Petersburg" as Rembrandt's painting "Aegina".
The painting was ordered to Rembrandt by the head of the infantry division. The canvas depicts a company of militia, which goes on a campaign. Musketeers, encouraged by drumming, are depicted alongside soldiers of various social status and age, ready for battle. All of them are united by masculinity and patriotic impulse. The work is distinguished by thoroughness in drawing all the images and details. Rembrandt's painting "The Night Watch" evokes in the viewers who look at it, a complete sense of the reality of everything that happens. 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 mood of the military. The character and fate of each character are read thanks to the brush of a famous artist.
There are many versions about the girl depicted almost in the center of the picture. It differs from all bright colors and angelic appearance. Perhaps this is some kind of mascot of the militia. According to another version, the girl is the image of the author's beloved wife, who left for another world in the midst of painting. As you know, the work did not please the customers. After they bought the painting, they savagely cut the canvas and hung it in the banqueting hall.
Rembrandt's painting "The Return of the Prodigal Son" is one of the brightest pinnacles of the famous artist's work. It was written in the last years of the master's life. This is the time when he was very old and weak, in need and starving. The theme of the prodigal son has repeatedly and previously arose 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. Shimmering colors and an elegant play of light and shadow emphasize the images of the main characters. In the guise of a venerable old man and his prodigal son, a whole gamut of various feelings is expressed: repentance and love, mercy and the bitterness of a belated insight. According to art historians, the entire psychological talent of the painter was revealed in The Return. He invested in his offspring all his accumulated creative experience, all his passion, all his inspiration.
It is difficult to even imagine how Rembrandt portrayed which is presented in this article. How many years have passed since the day of their creation, how much soot from tallow candles has covered them over three centuries of history! We can only guess what they looked like on their birthdays. Meanwhile, to this day, millions of admirers of the talent of the famous painter in different museums around the world come to look at his masterpieces.
After training, the artist returned to Leiden, where, together with a friend, he opened his own workshop and began to recruit students. He later moved to Amsterdam and married Saskia van Uylenbürch, whose family connections contributed to the popularity of the artist and the growth of royalties for many commissioned portraits and works of art.
Like many great artists, Rembrandt was not happy in family life. Three of the couple's four children died in infancy. A year after the birth of their only surviving son, at the age of 30, Saskia also died.
Later, the housekeeper Hendrikje Stoffels often posed for portraits of Rembrandt. Although he was a famous artist, in 1656 he had to declare bankruptcy and sell off his property. During this difficult period, the master produced his best works.
The characteristic features of light give an idea of the harmonious relationship between the amount, direction and intensity of illumination.
Texture and colors play a role in determining the mood of a painting. The photographer can apply this to a photograph.
The warmth of these portraits makes them very lively and artistic.
The light does not completely fill the frame, but falls only in a certain area that requires lighting.
Amazing composition and distribution of subjects in the picture, regardless of their number in the scene.
Actions, posture, environment and frozen moment give a clear idea of the mood of the character.
The intensity of the dramatic relationship between light and shadow carries an understanding of the significance of the composition of the picture.
The study of paintings and engravings by Rembrandt is a direct path to excellence, it gives an understanding of the aspects of art.
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, interest in the everyday genre, landscape, still life, portrait increases, 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 drawing, 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 of Rembrandt's children die, a few months after the birth of the last son, Titus, Saskia's beloved wife 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, according to 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 Harmensz van Rijn (1606-1669) the greatest Dutch artist, painter, etcher and draftsman. Born into a miller's family in Leiden, where he worked until about 1632, after which he moved to Amsterdam. In 1634, Rembrandt married a girl from a wealthy family, Saskia van Uylenburgh, whose image he immortalized in many portraits with extraordinary tenderness and love.
From the 1640s, in the works of Rembrandt, especially in paintings on religious themes, chiaroscuro, which creates a tense emotional atmosphere, acquires importance. The artist is interested in the hidden essence of phenomena, the complex inner world of the people depicted.
In 1642, fate deals a heavy blow to Rembrandt - Saskia dies. In the same year, he paints his most outstanding and famous painting Night Watch, the compositional solution of which has nothing to do with the traditional group portrait.
His latest work is striking in the refinement of craftsmanship. On the last self-portraits of Rembrandt, which became the pinnacle of his unparalleled portrait gallery, a man appears before the viewer, stoically enduring hard trials and the bitterness of loss (in 1668 he lost his beloved Hendrikje Stoffels, and in 1668 - his son Titus).
Rembrandt created wonderful works in almost all genres, used a variety of writing techniques (painting, drawing, etching). The greatest master, he influenced many famous artists. The halo of glory around the name of Rembrandt did not fade, and after his death, he received true recognition as one of the outstanding painters of all time.
| Danae 1636-1647 |
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