Rembrandt Essay examples - 874 Words

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn is generally considered one of the greatest painters in European art history and the most important in Dutch history. Rembrandt was also a proficient printmaker and made many drawings. His contributions to art came in a period that historians call the Dutch Golden Age (roughly equivalent to the 17th century), in which Dutch culture, science, commerce, world power and political influence reached their pinnacles. In all, Rembrandt produced around 600 paintings, 300 etchings, and 2,000 drawings. He was a prolific painter of self-portraits, producing almost a hundred of them (including some 20 etchings) throughout his long career. Together they give us a remarkably clear picture of the man, his looks, and Ââ€" more†¦show more content†¦By 1631, Rembrandt had established such a good reputation that he received several assignments for portraits from Amsterdam. As a result, he moved to that city and into the house of an art dealer, Hendrick van Uylenburgh. This move eventually led, in 1634, to the marriage of Rembrandt and Hendricks greatniece, Saskia van Uylenburg. This was obviously a marriage for love. Although she came from a good family (her father had been burgomaster of Leeuwarden), Saskia was an orphan and was probably not very wealthy. She lived with her sister in Frisia and did not have many grand connections in Amsterdam. These events, however, are widely disputed. In 1639, Rembrandt and Saskia moved to a prominent house in the Jodenbreestraat in the Jewish quarter, which later became the Rembrandt House Museum. Although they were affluent the couple had several setbacks in their personal life. Three of their children died shortly after birth. Only their fourth child, a son, Titus, who was born in 1641, survived into adulthood. Saskia died in 1642 soon after Tituss birth, probably from tuberculosis. After her death he began an affair with Tituss nurse, a widow called Geertje Dircx. This ended in a lawsuit. Geertje claimed that Rembrandt had broken his promise to marry her, and demanded that the council force him to marry her. The council did not go that far but Rembrandt was asked to pay her a lot of money. He then cooperated with Geertjes family to have her locked up in aShow MoreRelatedRembrandt Analysis986 Words   |  4 PagesThe landscape etching presented here, The Three Trees, is a masterpiece created by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn. Rembrandt was a prolific Dutch Baroque painter, printmaker, and draughtsman, who had produced over a thousand paintings and etchings throughout his career (â€Å"Rembrandt and the Face of Jesus†). He was one of the most celebrated visual artists during the Renaissance and one of the pioneers of the Dutch Golden Age, a period of commercial and artistic prosperity. As critical components ofRead MoreEssay about Rembrandt1237 Words   |  5 PagesRembrandt Rembrandt is known as one of the greatest artists of the 17th century. He is also known as one of the greatest painters in western art. Rembrandt earned these titles rightfully so. He belonged to the Baroque period. The Baroque period had works of art that were emotional, dramatic, and included real people as the primary subjects. Rembrandt showed all of this in his work. Rembrandt was influenced by nature, religion, the Bible, and humanity. His paintings showed his moods andRead MoreRembrandt and the Nude Essay1607 Words   |  7 PagesRembrandt van Rijn was a Dutch artist well known for his many paintings and etchings of landscapes, figures and animals. His subjects included biblical, secular and mythological scenes. Rembrandt also dabbled in the nude even though they were not popular among his contemporaries. Rembrandt’s nudes were his interpretation of the real human body. He painted every wrinkle and every fold of the body. Rembrandt’s nudes were not considered ugly and grotesque. His nudes were unlike the Greek goddesses hisRead More Rembrandt and The Western Art438 Words   |  2 PagesRembrandt uses oil on wood in one of his earliest self-portraits, depicting himself in a fabulous costume that includ es a plumed hat, a silk scarf, and an elegant jacket complete with gold trim. There is a heavy use of shadow, concealing half of his face, with the left half being illuminated by a sole source of light located out of the frame. His face purposefully lacks an expression, as if to create an open-ended illusion of confusion. Unlike most of his works, this painting is quite large, havingRead MoreEssay Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijns Self-Portraits2130 Words   |  9 Pagesjust a man on the wall. Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn painted many self-portraits throughout his career, and about forty have survived. In studying these paintings, one will find that a certain growth and development of his style happened throughout his life. For example, in his earlier self-portraits, he used a technique that is called chiaroscuro, which is the use of deep variations of light and shade. In these early paintings, it is hard to tell what Rembrandt looked like because of theRead MoreEssay on Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn1035 Words   |  5 PagesRembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn Rembrandt (1606-1669), Dutch baroque artist, who ranks as one of the greatest painters in the history of Western art. His full name was Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn. He possessed a profound understanding of human nature that was matched by a brilliant technique—not only in painting but in drawing and etching—and his work made an enormous impact on his contemporaries and influenced the style of many later artists. Perhaps no painter has ever equaled RembrandtsRead MoreRembrandt Van Rijn Essay1430 Words   |  6 PagesHovater World History 28 March 2013 Rembrandt van Rijn People consider the Dutch painter and etcher, Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, an important figure in Dutch history. He achieved success at a very early age but had personal tragedies and financial hardships in his later years. Many are familiar with Rembrandt’s reputation. Rembrandt’s works show his greatest accomplishments. Mainly his childhood and home life influenced his works. Steadfastly, Rembrandt van Rijn, the greatest Dutch portraitRead MoreRembrandt van Rijn Essay1024 Words   |  5 PagesRembrandt van Rijn was born on July 15, 1606 in Leiden, Netherlands. He came from a large family where he was the ninth child. His father was a miller and saw to it that Rembrandt had an excellent education. Rembrandt began attending the University of Leiden, but really wanted to study art. Eventually he left school to become an apprentice to the artist Jacob van Swanenburgh. He also was a student of the painter Pieter Lastman. Company Frans Banning Cocq and Willem van Ruyte nburch , known as theRead MoreBiography of Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn681 Words   |  3 PagesRembrandt Harmensz van Rijn was the premier artist in 17th century Europe during the great Golden Age of Dutch painting, well known for his Dutch Baroque style of art that lead to his title as one of the greatest painters in history. His incredible brush technique and his masterful appreciation of human nature combined to create a humongous impact on his peers as well as influencing tons of artists of later years.1 He was born on July 15, 1606, in Leiden, Netherlands, a small city located in theRead More Self-portraits - Van Gogh And Rembrandt Essay974 Words   |  4 Pagesculture of the time. Rembrandt van Rijn and Vincent van Gogh are 2 artists of whom are well represented by this statement. Rembrandt was born into a Dutch society of the Baroque era . This time period influenced his style of artwork heavily as these were the Post-High Renaissance years. This meant that the accepted artworks of the society at the time were religiously based works influenced by the efforts of the Reformation which was also occurring at the time. This meant that Rembrandt painted his works