Rembrandt a Religious Painter

Rembrandt a Religious Painter

“The beauty of the images moves me to contemplation, as a meadow delights the eyes an subtly infuses the soul with the glory of God.” (CCC 1162 found on Art as a form o Christian Meditation http://landru.i-link-2.net/shnyves/Art_in_Meditation.html ) Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn was born on July 15 of the year 1606 in the university city of Leiden. His family was Catholic although his father was the only member of his family who converted from Catholicism to Calvinism in the late 16th century. His parents had 9 children, Rembrandt being the second youngest. “At the age of seven, he was sent to the Leiden Latin School to prepare for the university… as his brothers were sent out to learn a trade. This suggests that at an early age Rembrandt showed a more than average intelligence and that his parents were willing to educate him for a profession, very likely as a city administrator.” (The new Encyclopedia Britannica 1974)

Rembrandt left the Latin School, at 14; he was very well trained in classical literature and a “well-trained Latinist.” Rembrandt then went to Leiden University were he found that his true love was for painting. His parents then removed him from the University and had him sent to a painter, Mr. Jacob Isaacxsz van Swanenburch. After

three years with the painter his father took him to Amsterdam to the painter Pieter Lastman where he became an apprentice. His parents did this because Rembrandt showed more a liking in drawing and painting historical and biblical scenes and images and there was no painter in Leiden who was proficient in religious subjects.

“1624 Six months further education at Pieter Lastman in Amsterdam, perhaps also for a short while at Jacob Pynas.” (Rembrandt’s Life- His Biography http://www.screendesign.de/remfus.htm) Rembrandt then returned to Leiden to become an independent painter. He then moved to Amsterdam and was paid high commissions to paint portraits. Rembrandt met a man named Hendrick van Uylenburgh an art dealer in Amsterdam. “Rembrandt became an immediate success in Amsterdam.” (The new Encyclopedia Britannica 1974) Rembrandt then married Hendrick van Uylenburgh’s cousin Saskia van Uylenburgh in June 22, 1634. “His religious works were also in demand, and as early as about 1632 he received a commission from Prince Frederik Hendrik in The Hague to paint five scenes from the Passion of Christ, which was completed in 1939.” (The new Encyclopedia Britannica 1974)