Chapter 1
Painting with theater and the magic of chiaroscuro
Chapter 2
The ultimate action portrait of the Night Watch
Chapter 3
Sculpting with thick paint and the secret of impasto
Chapter 4
The ultimate selfie diary of a Dutch master
YOUR GOAL
Master of Rembrandt and the art of the spotlight
Ch 4 · The ultimate selfie diary of a Dutch master
suaz Rembrandt's Self-Portraits
Paint your face, paint your face, let the shadows tell your story!
suaz Rembrandt's Late Self Portraits
Paint every line, paint every line, The shadows tell no lies.
suaz The Dutch master recorded his transformation in Amsterdam from a wealthy, confident youth to a bankrupt and grieving old man.
BETA
suaz Adjust the light and shadow to learn how Rembrandt made ordinary people look like royalty.
Fun Fact
Hidden cameo: Rembrandt sneaked a tiny self-portrait of himself into The Night Watch—if you look closely behind the flagbearer, you can see a single eye and his signature beret peeking out!
Glossary
self-portrait (noun)
A portrait of an artist created by that artist. Rembrandt painted more than eighty of these works to document his physical aging over four decades.
A portrait of an artist created by that artist. Rembrandt painted more than eighty of these works to document his physical aging over four decades.
Quiz
Which Italian Renaissance master's portraits inspired Rembrandt's famous 1640 self-portrait pose?
Quiz
What kind of clothing did Rembrandt frequently wear in his self-portraits from his wealthy years?
Quiz
In what year did Rembrandt declare bankruptcy, forcing him to sell his expensive house and art collection?
Quiz
Who was Rembrandt's beloved wife, whose tragic death in 1642 deeply affected his life and art?
Quiz
What emotional quality do art historians most celebrate in Rembrandt's late self-portraits?