Rembrandt

Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–1669) never left his homeland of the Netherlands but in his massive body of painting, drawing, and etching, he changed the course of Western art . His prolific oeuvre encompasses religious, historical, and secular scenes, as well as one of the most extraordinary series of portraits and self-portraits in history. Rembrandt’s work foregrounds texture, light, and acute observation . Like sudden, startling apparitions in a shadowy street, his subjects are illuminated against deep, dark backgrounds and rendered with immense physical as well as psychological scrutiny . Whether biblical or mythological figures, powerful patrons, or fellow citizens, each subject is bestowed not only with meticulous facial features but also with the intrigue of thoughts and feelings so that even age-old narratives such as the bible story of David and Bathsheba find a new level of human drama. Rembrandt also left one of the most extensive series of self-portraits of any artist, chronicling his own face from his youth to the year of his death. Rembrandt’s rise coincided with the blossoming of the Dutch Golden Age, an era of prosperity in the Netherlands. He was encouraged by wealthy patrons, but was above all driven by a profound fascination with people. In this book, we tour some of Rembrandt’s key paintings, etchings, and drawings to introduce his techniques, inspirations, and exceptional achievements. From the Baroque Belshazzar’s Feast to the world-famous Night Watch we uncover a world of deep, rich tones, masterful draftsmanship, and a remarkable sensitivity for the human condition .

A classic monograph in the World of Art series, offering a a detailed insight into Rembrandt’s life and work. Rembrandt is among the few Old Master artists to retain universal appeal among art lovers today, his striking self-portraits lauded the world over – yet he remains an elusive, enigmatic figure. Here, the distinguished art historian Christopher White carefully considers the known facts to build a sensitive and thorough account of the artist’s life and work. He describes the radiant happiness of Rembrandt’s marriage, tragically cut short by the death of his wife, and discusses the catastrophe of his bankruptcy. The psychological factors that may have awakened Rembrandt’s sudden interest in landscape are also explored, as is the artist’s final decade, when he retreated into the private world of his imagination. This comprehensive introduction has now been revised and updated to reflect recent scholarship, and the bibliography has been expanded; Rembrandt’s artworks are now faithfully reproduced in colour throughout.

Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–1669) never left his homeland of the Netherlands but in his massive body of painting, drawing, and etching, he changed the course of Western art . His prolific oeuvre encompasses religious, historical, and secular scenes, as well as one of the most extraordinary series of portraits and self-portraits in history. Rembrandt’s work foregrounds texture, light, and acute observation . Like sudden, startling apparitions in a shadowy street, his subjects are illuminated against deep, dark backgrounds and rendered with immense physical as well as psychological scrutiny . Whether biblical or mythological figures, powerful patrons, or fellow citizens, each subject is bestowed not only with meticulous facial features but also with the intrigue of thoughts and feelings so that even age-old narratives such as the bible story of David and Bathsheba find a new level of human drama. Rembrandt also left one of the most extensive series of self-portraits of any artist, chronicling his own face from his youth to the year of his death. Rembrandt’s rise coincided with the blossoming of the Dutch Golden Age, an era of prosperity in the Netherlands. He was encouraged by wealthy patrons, but was above all driven by a profound fascination with people. In this book, we tour some of Rembrandt’s key paintings, etchings, and drawings to introduce his techniques, inspirations, and exceptional achievements. From the Baroque Belshazzar’s Feast to the world-famous Night Watch we uncover a world of deep, rich tones, masterful draftsmanship, and a remarkable sensitivity for the human condition .

He was the most sought-after painter in the prosperous trading city of Amsterdam yet died completely impoverished. Though he never left his homeland, Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn's (1606–1669) work extends far beyond the confines of his personal experience, constituting some of the most effective and multifaceted works in art history, forever engraved on the collective memory – The Night Watch, epitomizing the flowering of Dutch urban culture in the 17th century, or Self-Portrait as Zeuxis, which remains enigmatic to this day. As an artist of the Dutch Golden Age, Rembrandt's interest was in human passions. Bible scenes such as Bathsheba with King David’s Letter (1654) also highlight the subjects’ vulnerability, going far beyond what had previously been depicted in painting. Rembrandt also left behind a large number of self-portraits – no other artist of the time portrayed himself so frequently, thus documenting his own development from youth to old age. Following our XXL bestseller, TASCHEN is now releasing this abridged, more compact edition featuring Rembrandt's paintings in stunning reproductions – from Belshazzar's Feast (c. 1635) to his furious late work, this is a chance to experience Rembrandt's painterly oeuvre in a whole new way.

The Dutch Golden Age of painting spawned some of history’s greatest artists and artisans, but few can boast the genius and legacy of Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn (1606–1669). Despite never leaving his native Netherlands, Rembrandt projected his oeuvre past the boundaries of his own experience, producing some of art’s most diverse and impactful works across portraiture, biblical, allegorical, landscape, and genre scenes. In all their forms, Rembrandt’s paintings are built of intricacies —the totality of each subtle facial wrinkle, gaze, or figure amounting to an emotional force that stands unmatched among his contemporaries and artistic progeny alike . Each work is imbued with feeling . Biblical scenes, like Bathsheba at her Bath , become vehicles for meditations on human longing, probing depths beyond that which is canonized in scripture or depicted in other representations. His portraits, be them of wealthy patrons or tradesmen, communicate the essence of an individual through fine demarcations, their faces bathed in an ethereal light against darkened earthtones. Perhaps most striking, his series of self-portraits is a triumph of the medium ; beginning in his youth and spanning until a year prior to his death, Rembrandt’s self portraiture is an intimate glimpse into his lifelong process of self-reflection. This monograph compiles all 330 of Rembrandt’s paintings in stunning reproductions . From Belshazzar’s Feast to The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp , we discover Rembrandt’s painted oeuvre like never before.

The Dutch Golden Age of painting spawned some of history’s greatest artists and artisans, but few can boast the genius and legacy of Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn (1606–1669). Despite never leaving his native Netherlands, Rembrandt projected his oeuvre past the boundaries of his own experience, producing some of art’s most diverse and impactful works across portraiture, biblical, allegorical, landscape, and genre scenes. In all their forms, Rembrandt’s paintings are built of intricacies —the totality of each subtle facial wrinkle, gaze, or figure amounting to an emotional force that stands unmatched among his contemporaries and artistic progeny alike . Each work is imbued with feeling . Biblical scenes, like Bathsheba at her Bath , become vehicles for meditations on human longing, probing depths beyond that which is canonized in scripture or depicted in other representations. His portraits, be them of wealthy patrons or tradesmen, communicate the essence of an individual through fine demarcations, their faces bathed in an ethereal light against darkened earthtones. Perhaps most striking, his series of self-portraits is a triumph of the medium ; beginning in his youth and spanning until a year prior to his death, Rembrandt’s self portraiture is an intimate glimpse into his lifelong process of self-reflection. This monograph compiles all 330 of Rembrandt’s paintings in stunning reproductions . From Belshazzar’s Feast to The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp , we discover Rembrandt’s painted oeuvre like never before.