Rembrandt Hermanson van Rijn is the most influential Dutch painter and one of the greatest painters in European art history in general.

"No artist has had such a combination of ability, energy and strength," Chambers writes in his biographical dictionary. "His attitude towards humanity is full of human compassion and emotion."

Rembrandt lived in the so-called Golden Age of Holland and was the leading painter of the Baroque era (born July 15, 1606, died October 4, 1669).

He was an excellent portraitist and, in addition to classic portraits, he applied his skills to great historical and biblical subjects.

He often painted self-portraits, which was a kind of experiment after he painted himself at different stages of life - after his aging.

In addition to painting, Rembrandt was also quite good as a graphic artist. He was able to create extremely complex details in a small space in the engravings.

Rembrandt broke the rules that applied until then for painting historical, allegorical and biblical compositions. His characters were not formal, but seemed natural and spontaneous. His main characters appear to be preparing for missions or relaxing together, while the secondary figures are naturally arranged around a single focal point.

Despite the financial success, by the end of the 1640s, Rembrandt had spent his fortune and could no longer pay his mortgage. He sold his house, many objects, paintings from his collection and his printing press. He moved with his family to a smaller home and never recovered financially. He died in poverty.

When a nineteenth-century critic said that Augustine Rodin's work was in the same spirit as Rembrandt, Rodin replied: "Have you compared me to Rembrandt? What blasphemy! With Rembrandt, the colossus of art! We should kneel before Rembrandt and never compare ourselves with him! "