Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, commonly known as Rembrandt, is considered one of the greatest artists in history. Living and creating during the Dutch Golden Age, Rembrandt distinguished himself from his contemporaries thanks to the wide range of styles he used as well as the array of subjects his works depicted.
If you want to discover more about Rembrandt, check out these interesting facts about his life.
Rembrandt Never Left the Dutch Republic During His Lifetime
Rembrandt was greatly influenced by contemporary Italian artists as well as Renaissance masters. However, he never actually left Dutch Republic (present-day Netherlands) during his lifetime. Instead, he spent almost his entire life in two cities: Leiden and Amsterdam.
Rembrandt Experienced Several Personal Tragedies
Rembrandt and his wife Saskia had four children together. Unfortunately, three of them died shortly after birth, with only their son Titus, born in 1641, surviving. Only one year after Titus was born, another tragedy struck. Saskia contracted tuberculosis and died at the age of 29.
Rembrandt Went Bankrupt
Rembrandt became a wealthy man thanks to portrait commissions and art classes. However, overspending and bad investments prompted him to declare insolvency in 1656. He auctioned, surrendered his assets to creditors, and held auctions to sell off his paintings.
No One Knows How Many Paintings Rembrandt Created
Rembrandt was a prolific artist, but art experts disagree about the number of artworks he created. At one point, 2,000 works have been attributed to him, but according to the Rembrandt Research Project, Rembrandt only created around 300 paintings on canvas, while others were likely made by his students or artists he influenced.
