Rembrandt van Rijn turned the art world of the 17th century upside down. He was not merely an innovator, he was a rebel who broke the rules of art. His life and career were not one big success story, however. Learn all about the ups and downs of Rembrandt's turbulent life.
10 things you might not know about the life of Rembrandt
1. Rembrandt was born in the city of Leiden on 15 July 1606
Rembrandt was born as the second youngest of ten children, three of whom died in infancy. His father owned a mill next to the Rhine River, which led to it being called ‘de Rijn’. This is where Rembrandt's family name ‘Van Rijn’ originates from.
2. Early in life, Rembrandt knew where his future lay
In 1620 his parents had him registered as a student at Leiden University. But Rembrandt only wanted to draw and to paint. Fortunately – especially for us – his parents went along with their youngest son’s wishes and sent him to a painter as an apprentice.
3. His career took off as a comet in the sky
After two apprenticeships, Rembrandt set up his own studio in Leiden. Soon he had mastered all the tricks of the trade and had evolved his own unique style. Prominent citizens were purchasing his paintings, and important connoisseurs came to visit him in his studio.
4. Rembrandt moved to Amsterdam in 1631
Leiden was no place for an up and coming star like Rembrandt. It was time to move to the dynamic heart of the young Dutch Republic: Amsterdam. Almost as soon as he set foot in the capital, Rembrandt became the new hot ticket in town, and the years 1631 to 1642 would prove to be the most glorious of his career.
5. Saskia was the love of his life
On 6 June 1633 Rembrandt got engaged to Saskia, the cousin of his business partner Hendrick Uylenburgh. The inscription on a tender, informal portrait drawing Rembrandt made of Saskia read: ‘This is drawn after my wife, when she was 21 years old, the third day of our betrothal'. Rembrandt and Saskia’s wedding took place more than a year after their engagement.
6. Rembrandt's only son Titus was born in 1641
After having three children that did not survive infancy, Saskia gave birth to Titus. On 22 September 1641, their son was christened in the Zuiderkerk. He was named after his aunt Titia, who had been godparent to all of his deceased siblings.
7. In 1642, Rembrandt created his ultimate masterpiece: The Night Watch
The Night Watch was made for one of the three headquarters of Amsterdam’s civic guard. The painting has gone down in history as marking the turning point in the career of Rembrandt and as the unparalleled example of his creative genius. There can be little doubt however that Rembrandt fell into an emotional slump around the time he completed The Night Watch, because about a month before the painting was delivered, his great love Saskia died.
8. He had a stormy affair with the nanny
In 1649, the artist was going through a messy breakup with Geertje Dircks, who had been hired as Titus’s nanny. Not satisfied with the financial settlement after their breakup, lengthy legal proceedings followed. Eventually, Geertje was sent to the house of correction in Gouda. Whatever Rembrandt’s part was in this, he went out of his way to keep her there. Geertje dies in 1656, one year after her release.
9. By the end of the 1640s things did not go well for Rembrandt
Rembrandt had increasing financial worries and had to move out of his grand house. However, he did not throw in the towel, but threw himself at his work. He created many masterpieces in this period, among them The Jewish Bride, The Sampling Officials and Self-portrait as the Apostle Paul.
10. He died a sad and lonely man
In 1668 Rembrandt’s son Titus fell ill and died. After losing his beloved son, the last months of his life must have been an extremely sad and lonely period for him. Rembrandt died on 4 October 1669 from unknown causes. Four days later he was buried in a rented grave in the Westerkerk.
For an in-depth look at the life of Rembrandt, check out Jonathan Bikker's Rembrandt: Biography of a Rebel, available in the Rijksmuseum Shop.