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near Leiden, Holland on July 15, 1606. His initial studies
of Latin did not interest him and he left
to study art. The first three years he studied under Jacob van
Swanenburch, followed by studies under Pieter Lastman(Amsterdam) and
Jacob Pinas (Haarlem). Having mastered the techniques, Rembrandt.
returned to Leiden, where he was highly regarded as an artist, so much
so that at the age of only twenty-two he took on his first pupils. In
1631, he settled in Amsterdam, where he married Saskia van Uylenburgh,
cousin of a successful art dealer. This helped to advance his career,
particularly among wealthy patrons Rembrandt died there in 1669. He
painted right up to the end of his life, producing an estimated more
than 600 paintings as well as a multitude of etchings. He was also the
most prolific in creating his self-portraits (about 60).
Interestingly, he included dogs in many of his works, because he liked
them so much.
Although Rembrandt, a baroque artist, is considered
one of the greatest painters in the history of western art, famous for
his dramatic use of light and dark, he is recognized as the most
accomplished etcher ever, unrivaled until well into the 19th
century. His use of scribbling strokes to create unusually expressive
lines, often achieving special effects by combining etching and
drypoint needle, earned his international renown even during his
lifetime. His style and technique had a profound impact on both his
contemporaries and well as later artists. |
