Rembrandt's Subject Matter and Unique Vision
Self-Portraits
If the 15th century Italian adage that “every painter paints himself” is true, then Rembrandt is the archetypal artist. Not only did he reveal his psychological and emotional changes throughout his life in both his choice and style of execution of subject matter, but no artist before and few since have left behind such a large group of self-portraits in all mediums. Some of Rembrandt’s earliest etched self-portraits appear to be explorations of expression, but these were more than studies, they were finished prints and were collected from the onset of their production.
Portraits
Rembrandt’s early studies in expression were also experiments in format and presentation, which served as excellent preparation for his reign as the most successful portrait painter inAmsterdamduring the first ten years he lived there. His etched portraits reveal the perfect balance he was able to achieve between the pictorial and psychological approach. His sitters were varied: he etched his parents, wife, and mistress, but also friends and the important burghers of Amsterdam. He etched beggars in the street giving them a humanity and stature uncommon for his era and he etched models and nudes in his studio. Everyone from all walks of life was of interest to Rembrandt and he expended the same degree of experimentation and perfection on each of his portraits.
Biblical
In 17th century Holland, religious subjects were not common subjects for artists since they lacked the traditional sources of patronage the aristocracy and the Catholic church. Yet, the majority of Rembrandt's etchings were of Biblical scenes. Rembrandt interpreted the Bible as it meshed with his own convictions; his images were unusual, enlightening and profound. He illustrated episodes or moments that matched his feelings about the sacredness of human life and those moments, especially in the life of Christ, which illuminate the link between the human and divine.
Landscape
Financial success and Saskia’s dowry enabled Rembrandt to move to the upper class Breestraat quarter in 1639. From here it was only a short walk to the open fields of the countryside away from the buildings and waterways of the city. Rembrandt began etching landscapes in 1640.
His early landscapes are generally realistic and executed entirely in etching. From 1650 until his last landscape in 1653, fantasy elements are combined with observed motifs in a carefully measured mixture of etching, dry point and burin.
Genre
Rembrandt’s subject matter was as diverse as Amsterdam and he etched myriad intimate observations from everyday life including scenes of beggars, children, animals, and various people at their professions. Many of these “genre” pieces capture the same psychological intenseness as his commissioned portraits.
No subject matter was too lowly or arcane for Rembrandt’s interpretation. No amount of time, experimentation, or effort was too much to achieve exactly the effect he sought. Rembrandt was an innovator with the patience to achieve his particular and very personal vision. But above all, as Christopher White notes, “he was an artist of variety in a country of specialization, not only in his subject matter, but also in his endless search for different qualities of technique” He was the most innovative and unconventional artist of the 17th century.