Rembrandt van Rijn

Who is Rembrandt van Rijn?

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn was born in Leiden in the Dutch Republic and became the leading painter of the Dutch Golden Age. After early training he settled in Amsterdam, where he ran a busy workshop and produced portraits, biblical and historical scenes, landscapes, and a remarkable series of self-portraits spanning his whole life. He is celebrated for his innovative use of light and shadow (chiaroscuro), his psychological depth, and his mastery of etching. Major works include The Night Watch (1642), a monumental group portrait of a militia company, and The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Nicolaes Tulp (1632). Despite early success and prosperity, his later years were marked by financial difficulty and personal loss, including the deaths of his wife Saskia and several children. He continued to paint deeply expressive works until his death in Amsterdam. Rembrandt is regarded as one of the greatest visual artists in history.

Sources: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam — collection catalogue of Rembrandt paintings including The Night Watch (1642) · Mauritshuis, The Hague — The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Nicolaes Tulp (1632) · Simon Schama, Rembrandt's Eyes (1999)