Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn

About Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn

Golden Age light and shadow, with faces that tell the story

Rembrandt was a Dutch painter born in Leiden in 1606.

He is considered one of the greatest painters and printmakers in European art history, his work spanning the Dutch Golden Age. He is known for his mastery of chiaroscuro, the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, which brought a dramatic quality to his works. He was a consummate portraitist, capturing the personality and character of his subjects with extraordinary skill. His paintings are infused with profound emotional depth, whether in religious, historical, or everyday scenes.

He employed innovative techniques such as impasto to create texture and depth.

He was also a master storyteller, with his works carrying layers of symbolism and narrative. His style evolved over time, from precise details and bright colors to a later, more somber style with dramatic lighting effects. His enduring influence continues to captivate and inspire artists and art enthusiasts alike. He is considered one of the most revered artists in history, and his work has left an indelible mark on the art world.

His ability to convey complex stories and allegorical themes is evident in works like “The Jewish Bride” and “Belshazzar’s Feast.”

His self-portraits offer a window into his own introspective and evolving psyche. His legacy is rich and multifaceted, cementing his status as a master of light and shadow, intimate portraiture, and emotional depth,

“Rembrandt’s command of light and shadow was revolutionary, and it brought a dramatic quality to his works that made them stand out. His ability to use chiaroscuro to emphasize certain elements and create a sense of mood and atmosphere is particularly evident in paintings like ‘The Night Watch’ and ‘Self-Portrait with Two Circles.’”

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  Rembrandt shows himself at about fifty-three, with deep shadow around the figure and light falling on the face. Thick, textured paint builds the skin and hair, while the dark clothing fades into the background. National Gallery of Art, Washington.

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  Rembrandt portrays Nicolaes Ruts, an Amsterdam merchant, in a heavy fur-trimmed coat and pleated ruff. Light picks out the face, the letter in his hand and the glossy black sleeve. The painting is in The Frick Collection, New York.

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  A small bust-length study of an elderly man with a feathered beret and polished gorget. A pool of light on the wrinkled face and metal contrasts with the dark clothing and shadowed ground, a typical effect of early Rembrandt chiaroscuro.

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  Rembrandt paints the goddess of wisdom in a gold helmet and ornate breastplate, her gaze lowered. A red cloth and the shield at the bottom frame the figure in deep shadow. The painting is held by the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, Lisbon.

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  The prophet Jeremiah mourns in a dark cave while flames consume Jerusalem at far left. Warm light falls on his blue robe, the golden vessels and the patterned rug. The panel is in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

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  A tronie, or character study, of an old man in a plumed cap and polished gorget. Soft light models the lined face and gleaming metal against a warm grey ground. The panel is in the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.

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  A girl in a loose white blouse leans on a sill within an arched frame, gazing directly out. Light brings out her flushed cheeks and the soft folds of her sleeves against a dark background.

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  Rembrandt shows Paul lost in thought, his pen paused above the page. The sword at right recalls his martyrdom. Warm light on the face, hand and book emerges from a dark, richly textured interior.

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  Rembrandt depicts the Remonstrant minister Johannes Wtenbogaert at about seventy-five. His open hand, bright ruff and calm gaze stand out against the heavy black robe and a shadowed study with a large book.

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  Light from the book illuminates the reader's face and hand while the rest of the room falls into darkness. Rembrandt gives the red velvet robe and gold headscarf rich texture. The panel is in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

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  A close character study of an elderly man. Golden light models the wrinkled forehead and grey moustache while the fur collar and red coat dissolve softly into the warm brown background.

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  A quiet profile portrait of an elderly woman. Soft light shapes the lined face, the folded white cap and the pale collar, set against a dark arch and a deep brown garment.

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  An expressive tronie of a young man mid-laugh. Rembrandt catches the crinkled eyes and open mouth with loose brushwork, and warm side light pulls the face out of a soft brown background.

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  A small early self-portrait of Rembrandt in his early twenties. Tiny scratches and strokes define the curls, while warm light on the face contrasts with the dark cloak and the grey-green background.

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  An everyday moment treated with quiet dignity. A warm glow falls on the woman's face, hands and amber robe while the room recedes into deep shadow. Rembrandt used loose, layered strokes for the fabric.

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  A tall standing figure in an imagined eastern costume, a type of fancy dress Rembrandt favored. Light catches the gold brocade, the pendant and the silver-grey turban while the fur-lined robe sinks into shadow.

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  An early self-portrait in which Rembrandt shades his eyes with strong side light. Fine lines scratched into the wet paint with the brush end define each curl of hair, set against a textured grey background.

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  A woman peers around a heavy red curtain with a warm, expectant look. Bright linen and a lace-trimmed pillow contrast with the dark room. The arched canvas is often linked to the biblical Sarah awaiting Tobias.

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  Rembrandt paints himself in late age with palette, brushes and maulstick. Two mysterious circles trace the wall behind him. Thick, rough strokes build the face from warm ochres and reds against a muted ground.

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  Painted in his mid-fifties, this self-portrait shows Rembrandt with a lined face and curling grey hair. Thick paint models the skin in warm light, while the brown coat and background merge into a deep, earthy tone.

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  Rembrandt casts himself as the apostle, holding a book of letters. A lit, wrinkled face and a streaked turban stand out from the dark ground. The mood is candid and humble rather than heroic.

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  A young maid pauses with her arms crossed over a broom handle and meets the viewer's eye. Soft light falls on her face and bright sleeves, and a tipped wooden bucket sits in the shadowed corner.

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  A half-length portrait of a bearded man glancing to one side. Light falls on his pale face and ruff, and a heavy gold chain crosses the russet coat against a warm brown background.

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  A mustached young man in a velvet beret looks out calmly from a dim interior. Light picks out his face, the pendant on his chain, the lace cuff and the ornate silver hilt held in his hands.

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  A young woman turns her head slightly toward the viewer. Pearls, a gold hair ornament and looped chains catch the light against a deep red velvet cape and a very dark background.

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  A young man in a broad hat and white collar looks out with a faint smile, a pen in one hand and a curled sheet in the other. His black clothing merges with the dark background.

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  A violent moment from the Book of Judges. Daylight streams through the tent opening and strikes Samson's body, the soldiers' armor and Delilah, who escapes with scissors and his hair. Dark shadows heighten the drama.

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  King Cyrus in gold brocade gestures toward the idol of Bel, whose offerings sit on a draped table. Daniel stands at left. A chandelier and pools of light give the scene a theatrical glow.

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  Rembrandt's first Amsterdam group portrait shows the surgeon demonstrating the muscles of the arm. Strong light falls on the pale body and the attentive faces of the surgeons' guild members around the table.

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  The couple is identified as Jan Rijcksen and Griet Jans. He pauses at his drawings with dividers in hand while she bursts in with a letter. The pair look toward the right, and light falls on the desk and faces.

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  Five syndics and a servant gather behind a table, as if interrupted while reviewing the guild's accounts. Their varied glances and a low viewpoint give the group portrait a lively, natural feel.

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  Rembrandt shows the Batavian leader Civilis swearing revolt against Rome with his allies, an episode from Tacitus. Light radiates from the table across rough, thickly painted figures. The canvas is a surviving fragment of a larger work.

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  An early history painting from the Book of Numbers. Only the donkey sees the angel in the road, and Balaam beats the animal in anger. Bright colors and crisp detail mark Rembrandt's Leiden years.

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  Illustrating a parable from the Gospel of Luke, a wealthy man inspects a coin at night. A single candle lights his face and the heaps of documents, an early example of Rembrandt's dramatic use of light.

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  Christ commands Lazarus to rise in a dim cave. Pale light catches the shrouded figure in the tomb and the startled witnesses at left, while a hanging quiver and curved sword add Eastern detail.

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  A small, quiet interior in which a seated thinker rests in warm window light. A spiral staircase curls above him, and a woman tends a fire in the lower right. Contrasts of light and shadow structure the scene.

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  A richly dressed woman, thought to be Artemisia, receives a golden cup from an attendant. A nautilus cup stands at left and a book lies open at right. Rembrandt signed and dated the canvas on the chair.

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  Rembrandt shows the body of Christ lowered in a white shroud as figures climb the cross and others watch from below. The arched top focuses attention on the diagonal of the falling body against a gloomy sky.

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  Part of a Passion series for Prince Frederik Hendrik. A strong light picks out the lowered body and the shocked faces of the crowd. Rembrandt is said to have included himself among the figures on the ladder.

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  Rembrandt paints himself at about twenty-eight in rich dress. Golden light strikes his face and the fur collar, while his eyes sit in half shadow below the soft beret against a warm background.

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  From the Gospel of John, Thomas doubts the Resurrection until he touches Christ's side. A halo of light surrounds Christ while the disciples crowd in, and one kneeling figure at right covers his face.

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  An oval portrait of a young woman with a gentle smile. Rembrandt renders the lace collar in fine, crisp strokes, and gold chains and a pearl choker stand out against her dark dress and the warm background.

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  A white-bearded old man sits at a desk with a pen and a large open volume. Soft light from the right shapes his furrowed brow, his hands and the book pages, set against a warm brown interior.

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  A hand writes a warning in glowing Hebrew letters above the Babylonian king's banquet, as told in the Book of Daniel. Belshazzar twists away in shock and the guests react in alarm. Gold brocade and white light dominate the dark room.

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  An angel halts Abraham at the last moment, as told in Genesis, and the knife drops from his hand. Rembrandt lights the pale body of Isaac and the angel's face against a stormy dark landscape.

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  The mythological Danaë welcomes Zeus, who comes to her as golden light. A carved bed, drapery and a cupid frame the glowing figure, while an elderly attendant waits behind the curtain at left.

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  After healing Tobit's blindness, the angel Raphael reveals himself and departs. Tobit kneels in the foreground as his wife and son react. The luminous figure rises into a green-gold sky above the dark doorway.

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  Rembrandt sets the sacred family in a Dutch home with a cradle, hearth and leaded window. Warm light gathers on Mary and the child while Joseph works at his bench in the background, giving the scene an intimate feel.

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  Cornelis Claesz. Anslo speaks with his wife Aeltje Schouten, who sits with folded hands. Candlelight falls on the open Bible and the table carpet, and the preacher's raised hand draws the eye to his lively, focused face.

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  King David embraces his son Absalom in a tender farewell before the city of Jerusalem. Absalom's gold costume and sword glow against the dark foreground and the stormy sky over the buildings behind.

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  Rembrandt dresses his wife Saskia van Uylenburgh in a feathered velvet hat, jeweled collar and fur. Light picks out her profile, the gold embroidery and the bracelet on her wrist against a very dark ground.

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  A confident self-portrait of the artist at thirty-six. A soft glow on the face, a rust-colored moustache and gold chains stand out against his black cap and heavy cloak, set before a hazy, golden-brown background.

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  A story from the Gospel of John set in a golden, towering temple interior. Light falls on the bowed woman and the figure of Christ, while a priest at the far right altar and the crowd stay half hidden in shadow.

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  Mary pauses from reading to look at the sleeping Jesus while Joseph works in the dim background. A group of angels floats in from the upper left and the woven cradle is lit warmly in the foreground.

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  A cozy domestic scene presented like a window in a frame with a drawn curtain. Mary embraces her child by a small fire while a cat watches and Joseph chops wood in the dim room behind.

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  The risen Christ is recognized by two disciples as he breaks bread, as told in the Gospel of Luke. A soft glow surrounds his head while one companion clasps his hands and the other leans back in awe.

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  The Greek philosopher rests his hand on the head of a bust of Homer. Warm light catches his white sleeve, the heavy gold chain and the marble, while his pensive face sits in soft shadow under the broad hat.

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  Bathsheba holds King David's letter summoning her. Her thoughtful downward gaze and the bowed servant at her feet carry the emotion. Rembrandt models her warm skin against a dark ground and rich fabrics.

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  From the Book of Genesis, Potiphar's wife falsely accuses Joseph while her husband listens. A bright white bed linen and the orange robe of the accuser stand out from the dark room, with Joseph waiting quietly at left.

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  A winged angel in white leans over a seated man and speaks to him. A veiled woman rests nearby in warm, hay-colored light while the dim stable and animals recede into the background. Loose brushwork marks the late style.

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  A young horseman rides through a stark, dim landscape toward a fortress. His identity remains unknown. The pale horse, red trousers and golden jacket stand out from the thick, earthy paint of the rocks and sky.

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  In a scene from Genesis, the aged Jacob crosses his hands to bless Joseph's younger son first. Joseph and his wife Asenath watch quietly, and warm light touches the white bedclothes and the bowed heads of the boys.

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  A servant girl lifts a candle and points at Peter, who denies knowing Christ, as told in the Gospels. A pale glow lights Peter and the girl while a soldier and a crowd press in from the golden darkness.

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  King Saul, troubled in spirit, listens to the young David play the harp, a story from the First Book of Samuel. Saul wipes away tears and holds a spear while rich gold and red tones glow against the dark room.

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  The angel speaks into Matthew's ear as he pauses to listen, pen in hand over an open book. Warm light highlights his deeply lined face, grey beard and aged hands, set in the thick, textured brushwork of Rembrandt's late years.

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  A Dutch merchant rides a pale horse with braided mane in Rembrandt's only surviving equestrian portrait. His gold coat, lace collar and plumed hat gleam in a dark landscape, with small figures at the lower left.

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  A tense late biblical scene in which a turbaned figure bows his head and presses a hand to his heart. A crowned man and an older bearded man look on from the shadows. Rich red fabric and gold trim glow against the black ground.

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  A parable from the Gospel of Luke painted in Rembrandt's last years. A father gently holds his ragged, shaven-headed son in a warm pool of light while an upright figure and two seated onlookers watch from the shadows.

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  A nude woman rests against pillows and a tasseled cushion and reaches out with one hand toward an unseen light. Pearls and coral bracelets decorate her wrists, and soft, warm tones model her skin against the white linen.

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  Rembrandt stands with a firm, direct stance and a confident look, in a plain working smock. Light catches the weathered face and rough brushwork while the figure merges with a dim brown background.

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  A young Rembrandt looks out from a soft oval, his face lit from the left and half in shadow. A thin gold chain traces his fur collar and a loosely knotted scarf, set against his dark cloak and a hazy olive ground.

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  Rembrandt portrays himself in his late twenties with a trace of a smile. A beret shadows the upper face while a bright light falls on his cheeks, moustache and collar. A painted oval frame surrounds the figure on a grey ground.

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  The Amsterdam frame maker Herman Doomer, who made frames for Rembrandt, wears a plain brown coat and a pleated lace-edged collar. A calm, direct gaze and smooth, soft light give a quiet, dignified presence.

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  A quick, energetic character study signed and dated 1633. Rembrandt builds the tangled hair and heavy white beard from thick brushstrokes, with warm light across the brow and a broad brown cloak below.

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  Simeon recognizes the infant Christ in the temple, as told in the Gospel of Luke. A shaft of light falls on the child, Mary and the kneeling Simeon, while the lofty temple interior and a crowd stay in deep shadow.

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  A small night scene in which a lamp lights Mary and the child within a ruined, cave-like shelter. A dark foreground figure and a rough rocky arch frame the glowing group, an early study of strong light.

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  A loosely painted head study of a young woman with her eyes lowered and lips slightly parted. Quick strokes shape the white shawl, yellow headband and bright coral necklace against a soft olive-grey background.

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  Rembrandt's companion Hendrickje Stoffels pauses at a doorway with a thoughtful, tilted look. Thick red and gold brushwork forms her shawl and sleeve, and warm light plays over her face against the dark interior.

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  A lively early expression study, probably a self-portrait. Light strikes the creased face and the shiny metal collar, and Rembrandt scratched fine lines into the wet paint to form the beard and curls.

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  Mary Magdalene mistakes the risen Christ for a gardener and turns to him in wonder. Two angels sit in the tomb, and early light touches a green landscape with a distant city at left.

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  A figure on the crossbeam lowers the shroud as helpers below receive the body. A turbaned onlooker stands at right and mourners cluster at left, while a stormy grey-green sky fills the arched top.

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  A young woman in a richly embroidered gown sits calmly while an older attendant arranges her hair from behind. Light plays on the gold brocade and red velvet train against the dim, muted interior.

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  A heavyset older man with white hair and moustache sits in a plain black coat with a broad white collar. Rembrandt uses loose, thick strokes for the cuffs, hands and collar and keeps the background a warm, simple brown.

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  A small early study with Rembrandt's monogram at upper right. Warm light across the forehead and cheek contrasts with the grey beard and the dark clothing that fades into a muted grey-brown background.

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  Rembrandt's only seascape shows disciples fighting the storm while Christ rests below deck, as told in the Gospels. Thirteen figures struggle against huge waves under heavy clouds. The canvas was stolen in 1990 and has not been recovered.

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  Zeus, as an eagle, carries off the Trojan boy Ganymede in this unusual take on the myth. Rembrandt shows a frightened, crying child rather than an idealized youth, set against a dramatic sky.

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  The Amsterdam merchant and patron Jan Six pulls on a glove, caught in a casual moment. Rembrandt paints the red cloak with broad, sketchy strokes and the gold buttons and cuffs with quick highlights.

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  A quiet, frontal portrait of an old man with clasped hands. A faint light touches his white beard, face and fingers while the dark robe and background merge into an almost black space.

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  An aged scholar rests his hands on a cane in a dim room. A glowing wall catches the large book and tall brass candlestick on the table at right, while his heavy robe fades into the surrounding shadow.

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  An elderly man looks out with a calm, tired expression, his hands resting in his lap. Rembrandt picks out the white beard and weathered face from the warm red of the tunic and a deep brown background.

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  A warmer-toned reproduction of Rembrandt's portrait of Hendrickje Stoffels. Her tilted head and soft smile meet the viewer while thick, golden strokes in the shawl contrast with the dark doorway behind her.

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  A tiny figure stands back from an oversized easel in a rough, cracked-wall studio. The large canvas is turned away from the viewer, and bright light falls across the floorboards and walls.

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  A small early character study in warm golden tones. Fine detail marks the lined face and white stubble while thick fur and a tall velvet cap dominate the head and shoulders.

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  Rembrandt presents himself as a confident gentleman with a rested arm and a direct gaze, a pose echoing Renaissance portraits by Titian and Raphael. He signed and dated the work on the ledge.

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  A tightly cropped late self-portrait. Thick paint builds the deeply lined face and furrowed brow under a broad hat, and a few touches of white mark the collar against the dark brown tones.

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  A sketch-like head study painted in thick, quick strokes. Warm ochre light picks out the forehead, nose and cheek, while the brim of a soft cap and the rest of the figure sink into deep shadow.

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  A story from the Book of Daniel. Susanna turns in alarm as one elder tugs her cloth while the other watches from behind a stone. A bright red robe and a pale figure glow against the dusky garden, and a fortress rises at the left.

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  A young rider carries a bow and quiver across a barren landscape under a golden sky. The mounted figure, his pale horse and the red accents of his cap and trousers form the center of Rembrandt's most enigmatic equestrian image.

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  Part of Rembrandt's Passion series. A bright, strongly foreshortened body on the cross draws the eye while the workers strain below. The man in a blue cap at the base is often seen as Rembrandt's self-portrait.

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  An early expressive self-portrait of the artist in his early twenties. Strong side light models the cheek and ear while the face is partly shaded, and fine scratches into wet paint define the thick curls.