Four hundred & seventeen years ago today, perhaps (definitely) the greatest painter who ever lived was born.
Equally skilled in printmaking & drawing, Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn successfully portrayed a huge variety of subjects in an extensive range of styles. He famously didn’t travel to other countries, yet looked to artists further afield for inspiration.
Despite maintaining a successful career & being widely appreciated & recognised as one of the greats in his own lifetime, he nevertheless – more like the stereotypical artist – suffered many setbacks & misfortunes & ultimately died in debt. It wasn’t a long life, but we’re certainly grateful for it.
But today, we celebrate the Dutch Golden Age genius he surely was & admire his revolutionary, wide-ranging & accomplished volume of work.
Landscape: The Stone Bridge, 1637
Biblical: Rest on the Flight to Egypt, c. 1630
Portraiture: Portrait of an Old Man with a Beard, 1633 or 1638
Still Life: Still Life with Peacocks, c. 1639
Self-portraiture: Self-portrait as an Oriental Potentate with a Kris, 1634
Mythical: Bellona, 1633
Genre works: The Pancake Woman, c. 1635
Animals: Elephant, c. 1637
Allegorical: Unconscious Patient (Allegory of the Sense of Smell), c. 1624-25
Group portraiture: Sampling Officials of the Drapers’ Guild, 1662
Happy Birthday, Rembrandt!
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