Great Masters in Painting: Rembrandt van Rijn   By: Malcolm Bell

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The oe ligature has been rendered [oe] and [OE], as in "Ph[oe]nix".

The Great Masters in Painting and Sculpture

Edited by G. C. Williamson

REMBRANDT VAN RIJN

THE GREAT MASTERS IN PAINTING AND SCULPTURE.

The following Volumes have been issued, price 5s. net each.

BERNARDINO LUINI. By =George C. Williamson=, Litt.D., Editor of the Series.

VELASQUEZ. By =R. A. M. Stevenson=.

ANDREA DEL SARTO. By =H. Guinness=.

LUCA SIGNORELLI. By =Maud Cruttwell=.

RAPHAEL. By =H. Strachey=.

CARLO CRIVELLI. By =G. McNeil Rushforth=, M.A., Lecturer in Classics, Oriel College, Oxford.

CORREGGIO. By =Selwyn Brinton=, M.A., Author of "The Renaissance in Italian Art."

DONATELLO. By =Hope Rea=, Author of "Tuscan Artists."

PERUGINO. By =G. C. Williamson=, Litt.D.

SODOMA. By the =Contessa Lorenzo Priuli Bon=.

LUCA DELLA ROBBIA. By the =Marchesa Burlamacchi=.

GIORGIONE. By =Herbert Cook=, M.A., F.S.A.

MEMLINO. By =W. H. James Weale=, late Keeper of the National Art Library.

PIERO DELLA FRANCESCA. By =W. G. Waters=, M.A.

PINTORICCHIO. By =Evelyn March Phillipps=.

FRANCIA. By =George C. Williamson=, Litt.D.

BRUNELLESCHI. By =Leader Scott=.

MANTEGNA. By =Maud Cruttwell=.

REMBRANDT VAN RIJN. By =Malcolm Bell=.

In preparation.

WILKIE. By =Lord Ronald Sutherland Gower=, M.A., F.S.A., Trustee of the National Portrait Gallery.

TINTORETTO. By =J. B. Stoughton Holborn=, M.A. of Merton College, Oxford.

GIOTTO. By =F. Mason Perkins=.

EL GRECO. By =Manuel B. Cossio=, Litt.D., Ph.D., Director of the Musée Pédagogique, Madrid.

DÜRER. By =Hans W. Singer=, M.A., Ph.D., Assistant Director of the Royal Print Room, Dresden.

PAOLO VERONESE. By =Roger E. Fry=.

GAUDENZIO FERRARI. By =Ethel Halsey=.

Others to follow.

LONDON: GEORGE BELL & SONS

[Illustration: Buckingham Palace, London.

The Ship builder & his wife. (1633)]

REMBRANDT VAN RIJN

BY MALCOLM BELL

AUTHOR OF "SIR EDWARD BURNE JONES: A RECORD AND REVIEW," ETC.

[Illustration: logo]

LONDON

GEORGE BELL & SONS

1901

PREFACE

In order to reduce the volume on Rembrandt, published in 1899, to the smaller dimensions demanded by the "Great Masters" series, it became necessary to dispense with some of the material included in it. This, it is hoped, has been done without seriously affecting the usefulness of the book. The story of the painter's life and work has been to some extent compressed, but everything essential has, it is believed, been retained. The chief omissions are the short descriptions of the pictures and the lists of the etchings, which, while occupying much space, were thought to be more suitable to a work of reference than to a handbook. The student who desires fuller information on these points will find it in the earlier volume.

CONTENTS

PAGE

=List of Illustrations= vii

=Bibliography= ix

=Chronological Table= xiii

PART I. REMBRANDT THE MAN

Chapter I. =Birth and Early Years= 1

II. =Art Education and Early Works= 8

III. =Days of Prosperity= 16

IV. =Days of Decline= 32

PART II. REMBRANDT THE PAINTER

V. =Early Years= (1627 1633) 48

VI. =Time of Prosperity= 61

VII. =Years of Decline= 71

PART III. REMBRANDT THE ETCHER

VIII. =The History of the Etchings= 85