Rembrandt, his life, his work and his time . blished conditions ofthese portrait groups, thepainter had sacrificed theirpersonalities to aestheticconsiderations. His firstcare had been to com-pose a picture. KnowingRembrandts character, wemay imagine that he mettheir representations witha scanty respect, and soincreased their he could not be in-duced to alter the picture,his outraged models tookrefuge in the only con-solation they had their likenesses, they determined at least to preserve their names, and thesewere accordingly inscribed on a shield painted on the upp
Rembrandt, his life, his work and his time . blished conditions ofthese portrait groups, thepainter had sacrificed theirpersonalities to aestheticconsiderations. His firstcare had been to com-pose a picture. KnowingRembrandts character, wemay imagine that he mettheir representations witha scanty respect, and soincreased their he could not be in-duced to alter the picture,his outraged models tookrefuge in the only con-solation they had their likenesses, they determined at least to preserve their names, and thesewere accordingly inscribed on a shield painted on the upper partof the The careless treatment of the picture, and. themutilation to which it was subjected seem to show that Rem-brandts contemporaries long cherished their resentment againsthim. It was reserved for posterity to vindicate the master, and to 1 This shield is somewhat later in style than the period at which the Night Watchwas painted, and does not appear either in Lundens copy or in Mr. de Graeff vanPoelsbroecks THE WIDOWER. Pen drawing (Heseltine Collection). /^ 2q8 REMBRANDT discount the passionate criticisms with which he was assailed in hislife-time. But after such a blow to their vanity the civic guardsbestowed their patronage elsewhere. They knew that artists moredocile and pliable were plentiful enough, even among Rembrandtsown pupils. His commissions fell off gradually from this timeforward. Adversity, far from softening his character, gave a misan-thropic tinge to a disposition naturally somewhat morose. He hadstill a few faithful friends whose affection sustained him through hissufferings ; but now, as ever, he found art his best consolation. Fora time he had been utterly crushed by the overwhelming sorrow ofhis bereavement, but as he became calmer he turned eagerly to work,and sought refuge from solitude in occupation. Always sparing ofspeech, he found in art a silent but eloquent medium of he produced fewer works betwe
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1894
