Free homeschool artist study with Rembrandt van Rijn. Learn more about the life and art of Rembrandt van Rijn in this art appreciation post from Masterpiece Society.
“Practice what you know, and it will help to make clear what now you do not know.” ~ Rembrandt van Rijn
Rembrandt Early Life
Rembrandt van Rijn (pronunciation) was born on July 15, 1606, in the city of Leiden in North Holland, a province in the Netherlands.
His home faced a family-owned windmill that overlooked a branch of the Rhine River.
He was one of many children (some say seven, while others say nine). But his parents were well-off enough to give him a good education. Rembrandt showed artistic talent from a very young age, drawing pictures of his family and windmills near his home.
A Master Artist’s Career Begins
At the age of 15, he was apprenticed to artist, Jacob van Swanenburg, then three years later, he was apprenticed to Pieter Lastman. In 1625, at the age of 19, Rembrandt set up his own art studio and began selling his paintings of Biblical scenes, some of which are shown below.
As well as painting portraits of local people.
By age 21, he began teaching art to others.
In 1631, Rembrandt moved to Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, where he became a successful portrait painter.
Most artists in his day made people look perfect in their portraits, smoothing their wrinkles to give them beautiful skin and correcting other flaws in their appearance. And it was traditional for people to be painted sitting still in their portraits. However, Rembrandt painted people just as he saw them, using light and shadow to show their wrinkles and the tiniest of flaws.
He had the ability to capture his subjects’ personalities and emotions.
He also liked to show them in action: doctors examining a corpse…
or soldiers getting ready for battle.
He seemed to make the people in his portraits come alive. He used an Italian painting technique known as “chiaroscuro” or “light and dark” to show the contrasts of detail in his paintings. His attention to detail set him apart as an artist, and he was in high demand.
Rembrandt Marries Saskia
In 1634, Rembrandt married Saskia van Uglenburgh, the niece of his art dealer.
He was earning a great deal of money, but he also loved to spend it, buying fine clothing, expensive jewelry, and collecting artwork. This would lead to his eventual ruin.
He painted many portraits over the course of his life, and almost 100 of them were self-portraits. It could be said that he was the original master of the “selfie.” 😉
But it was his etchings that made him internationally known. Through the process of etching (or cutting hatch marks) onto a copper plate, then covering the plate with ink, Rembrandt could create a piece, print as many copies of it as he wanted, and send those copies anywhere in the world.
In 1641, Rembrandt’s wife, Saskia gave birth to a son, Titus.
Sadly, Saskia died shortly thereafter. Later on, he fell in love with Titus’ nurse, Hendrickje, and in 1654 they had a daughter, Cornelia.
Rembrandt’s Death
Unfortunately, in his later years, Rembrandt was very much in debt and couldn’t earn enough money to support his family. He had to sell his beautiful home and many of his belongings to pay his debts. In 1660, Titus and Hendrickje opened a small art shop from which they sold Rembrandt’s art to support their family. Sadly, Rembrandt’s last years were miserable ones. He and his family were poor. In 1663, Hendrickje died, five years later, his son, Titus died, and the following year, 1669, Rembrandt died at the age of 63.
Today, Rembrandt is considered the most important Dutch painter in history.
He is remembered for the exquisitely detailed realism of his artwork and has inspired artists and art lovers throughout the centuries.
His paintings continue to be some of the highest-valued artwork in the world.
Vincent van Gogh wrote:
“Rembrandt is so deeply mysterious that he says things for which there are no words in any language. Rembrandt is truly called a magician… that’s not an easy calling.”
Want to experiment with Rembrandt’s art? In my Mixing with the Masters, Volume One lesson on Rembrandt, we learn even more about him and create three pieces inspired by some of his masterworks. Purchase the entire course (including six master artists) for $79, or just the Rembrandt lesson for $15:
Book Recommendations for Further Study:
Rembrandt (Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists)Rembrandt (Art Profiles for Kids)
What Makes a Rembrandt a Rembrandt?
Rembrandt and 17th Century Holland : The Dutch nation and its painters
Rembrandt (Lives of the Artists)
From the Masterpiece Society…
Rembrandt Art Appreciation StudyBuy NowRembrandt van Rijn Art LessonsBuy NowRembrandt Spotlight PacketBuy Now
Rembrandt Virtual Tours
This video is about The Night Watch from Smarthistory:
Take a look at the Self-Portrait from Smarthistory:
Let’s analyze The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp from Smarthistory:
Check out Rembrandt’s Self-Portraits from Smarthistory:
Aristotle with a Bust of Homer from Smarthistory:
Below is a video on The Three Crosses (1653) from Smarthistory:
Bathsheba at her Bath from Smarthistory:
For more project ideas, check out these Rembrandt-inspired art projects here:
Rembrandt van Rijn – Lesson Activities by Liberty Hill House
Rembrandt Art Projects for Kids by Hands-on Learning
