Rembrandt, his life, his work and his time . t deeper knowledge of its it is that it is impossible to forget these portraits. At adistance we are conscious of their vitality. A second inspectionhas always some fresh revelation in store for us, for they neveryield up the full measure of their beauties at first sight, andsuperb as they may have seemed in retrospect, they surpass ourexpectations each time we return to them. The master, withhis unfailing love of nature, and his marvellous powers of percep-tion, could not be indifferent to the humblest of his fellow-creatures. In all
Rembrandt, his life, his work and his time . t deeper knowledge of its it is that it is impossible to forget these portraits. At adistance we are conscious of their vitality. A second inspectionhas always some fresh revelation in store for us, for they neveryield up the full measure of their beauties at first sight, andsuperb as they may have seemed in retrospect, they surpass ourexpectations each time we return to them. The master, withhis unfailing love of nature, and his marvellous powers of percep-tion, could not be indifferent to the humblest of his fellow-creatures. In all he discovered a magic that kindled and inspiredhim, and throwing himself heart and soul into his beloved work,he informed the personality of his model with something of hisown genius. The success of such an artist, and his speedy popularity, may beeasily imagined. So great was the demand for his works, saysHoubraken, that amateurs were content to wait their turn to be r*i m a S Ç O ^ *sj t/r ^ ri ~1 .-o L-l *N» rjj 53 c 3 ~>2. REMBRANDT AS A PORTRAIT-PAINTER 147 served, and, in the words of a proverb he quotes, would-be purchasershad not only to pay, but to pray for a picture. Persons ofdistinction flocked to his studio, and among his sitters at this periodwe shall find members of the richest and most fashionable circles inAmsterdam. Such, for instance, is a young man in a broad-brimmedblack hat, whose portrait, signed, and dated 1634, is now in theHermitage. He has regular features, and his rather long face,surrounded by abundant chestnut hair, stands out in frank reliefagainst a background of grayish green. A wide lace collar isturned over his black dress. The painting is discreet and sedate, butfull of energy, the warm shadows bringing out the cool carnationswith admirable effect. The sitter has an air of great distinction, andhis refined features proclaim him the son of some noble statement that the portrait represents the Dutch admiral,Philip van Dorp,
Size: 1374px × 1818px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1894
