Rembrandt’s paintings were highly revered for their distinct portrayal of life-like individuals, as well as their depiction of intense emotions. Rembrandt’s painting style was constantly evolving as he experimented with the application of various colors, shadows, and overall composition in his works. Rembrandt’s art featured mythological, biblical, and historical scenes. In the article below, we will discuss the famous paintings of Rembrandt, such as Rembrandt’s portraits, landscapes, and historical paintings.
The Most Famous Rembrandt Paintings Ever Produced
Rembrandt van Rijn masterfully used texture and light to create a feeling of intense emotional depth in his artworks, and this helped to raise his status to one of the most renowned masters in the history of art. This is apparent throughout his oeuvre, from his initial historical paintings through to his subsequent illuminated artworks. The artist would eventually come to be regarded as one of the most important Dutch artists due to his incredible talents and today the famous paintings of Rembrandt are highly valued at auction. Before we go through our list of the most renowned Rembrandt artworks, let us find out a little bit more about the artist himself.
An Introduction to Rembrandt van Rijn
| Artist’s Full Name | Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn |
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Date of Birth | 15 July 1607 |
| Date of Death | 4 October 1669 |
| Place of Birth | Leiden, the Dutch Republic |
The famed Dutch artist, Rembrandt van Rijn, was born in Leiden in the Netherlands on the 15th of July, 1606. He served as a studio apprentice to several master artists until he opened his own workshop around 1624. While he personally never traveled outside of his own country, he thoroughly studied the art of Northern painters that had embraced Caravaggio’s application of chiaroscuro. Rembrandt’s portraits were already receiving much public admiration when he relocated to Amsterdam in the early 1630s, and the artist and his wife were able to move into a well-off neighborhood known as Nieuwe Doelenstraat. The many paintings of Rembrandt himself have served as a documentation of his aging features from the age of 22, all the way up to his passing. Although Rembrandt’s paintings were initially in high demand, he found himself in debt in his later years but continued to paint until his death in 1669.
The Most Notable Rembrandt Paintings
The Dutch Golden Age saw the rise of the popularity of portraits and Rembrandt was regarded as among the greatest portrait painters. This was because he was able to capture deep emotional aspects of his subjects and not just their physical likeness. Due to his committed religious devotion, he often produced large-scale Biblical scenes, in addition to historical scenes, which were both starting to fall out of fashion at the time. The most notable aspect of Rembrandt’s paintings was that they displayed his masterful ability to render the intricate details that made people and their environment seem realistic and imbued them with emotion. Below, let’s learn more about Rembrandt’s art by exploring the most renowned Rembrandt paintings.
The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicholas Tulp (1632)
| Date Completed | 1632 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions (cm) | 170 x 216 |
| Location | Mauritshuis, the Hague, Netherlands |
This Rembrandt artwork centers around a character called Dr. Tulp, who is portrayed as instructing a group of men dressed in ruffled collars during a lesson on human anatomy. While the doctor is positioned to the right of the canvas, the left is composed of the rest of the men positioned in a pyramid-like composition. The angle of the cadaver draws the eye of the viewer to the center of the painting. This painting represents the anatomy class that was held in January every year, which was eagerly awaited by all of the city’s burgomasters, senators, and aldermen. The university’s various rectors and curators were also present, along with numerous pupils and tutors, while members of the public paid tickets for back-row seats. This particular kind of group portraiture was unique to Dutch art and served to honor the top officials of a guild or other official organizations.
Between six and 20 individuals would usually be featured in such a painting, with all of them sharing the costs involved equally among them. The artist’s finely drawn and masterfully lit characteristics gaze at the cadaver or look out at the audience in this painting to convey their significance. The scenario depicted had been meticulously set up in a dramatic way, with the distinguished doctor donning an official hat to signal his position to the enthralled audience. Except for the gory left forearm being dismembered towards the very center of the arrangement, the artist ensured that the observer comprehends what’s happening without confusion by limiting the colors to being either well-lit or rendered rather dark. After this exquisite group painting was produced, Rembrandt van Rijn gained great admiration from critics and other artists alike and acquired multiple such commissions.
Man in a Turban (1632)
| Date Completed | 1632 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions (cm) | 152 x 111 |
| Location | Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, United States |
When compared to the formal Rembrant portraits from the same year, this painting stands out for its dramatic lighting and exquisite brushwork. He most likely produced this piece soon after moving to Amsterdam from his hometown of Leiden, with the intention of appealing to the enlightened collectors of the city. At that time, depictions of fictitious Ottoman or Persian rulers were popular, thanks in part to increasing economic links between the Middle East and the Dutch, which drew visitors from abroad to Amsterdam. Throughout the 1630s, the artist painted many individuals dressed in Middle Eastern clothing, but his works are more than just portraits of those people.
In fact, they are fanciful portrayals of a foreign nation in which Dutch models, including the artist himself, were costumed in exotic clothing. The model of this painting may very well have been a Dutchman who was depicted in other Rembrandt paintings in addition to the works of other artists of the time. The dignified figure peers out at the audience with a stern expression on his face, his head and shoulders magnificently lit from the front and rear. The painting demonstrates the artist’s ability as a master of figures and light, which underscores his use of a restricted, muted color palette to produce boundless depth.
The Storm on the Sea of Galilee (1633)
| Date Completed | 1633 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions (cm) | 160 x 128 |
| Location | Stolen in 1990 from the Isabella Gardner Museum, Massachusetts, United States. The artwork has remained missing ever since |
This painting from 1633, the only seascape Rembrandt ever produced, portrays Christ’s miracles of calming a terrible storm, as related in the Gospel of Mark. According to that particular scripture, Christ calmed the waters before teaching his followers the value of faith. An incredibly dramatic image, full of significance and exceptional splendor, illustrates their despair and fear in the face of the storm, in comparison to Christ’s serenity. Rembrandt focuses our gaze on the image’s left side by playing with light. A faint halo distinguishes Christ from the others. The superb Rembrandt artwork depicts not merely an agonizing setting, but also the agony itself. The darkly swirling, foamy seas threatening to bring down the little wind-whipped vessel reveal the artist Rubens’ influence. The entire composition has been divided into two distinct triangular sections by the boat’s mast.
Serious peril looms in the triangle to the left, however, there is a golden light lighting the black clouds’ edges, the frantic sailors, and the shredded sail. A red-colored person hangs over the edge of the sailboat in the triangle to the right, and the helmsman is steadying the boat’s rudder against the surging waves. There is one solitary individual, clad in blue and clutching onto a rope, who is staring directly out at the audience, and he possesses more than a passing resemblance to the artist himself. Rembrandt regularly painted himself in his works, and here he immerses the observer in the tumultuous scene. Rembrandt’s painting style in the early years is distinguished by the exceptionally precise portrayal of the setting and plot, the people’s varied emotions, the refined brushstrokes, and vivid colors.
Belshazzar’s Feast (1635)
| Date Completed | 1635 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions (cm) | 167 x 209 |
| Location | The National Gallery, London, United Kingdom |
Belshazzar’s story, his notorious feast, and eventual demise are hidden away in the somewhat obscure Book of Daniel and has prompted at least four notable painters to depict it in their artworks. He arranged a large feast for more than 1,000 of his noblemen and ordered that the sacred objects from Jerusalem’s temple be transported so that he could entertain his guests with these objects – a most disrespectful act. A disembodied hand emerged and wrote some Hebrew letters on the wall’s surface as all the noblemen present lifted their glasses to celebrate and honor their host. He then summoned his court’s soothsayers to decipher the text on the wall, but they were unable to do so. Daniel was eventually called at the request of his wife. When Daniel came, Belshazzar promised him the position of third in the kingdom if he was able to interpret the Hebrew characters; despite his decline of the offer, Daniel deciphered the meaning of the text.
The most famous representation of this scene is Rembrandt’s painting, which was completed in 1635. This is among the artist’s finest works, capturing the amazing detail of Belshazzar’s jewels and ornaments, and its vibrant, golden light spills throughout the chamber. However, there is an issue with the text as it appears in this painting. The artist is said to have been guided by a wise Rabbi acquaintance, however, one of the characters is erroneous, and they are placed in columns instead of arranged horizontally from the right of the canvas to the left. He created this work in order to prove himself as a highly adept painter of large-scale Baroque artwork, much as Rubens had accomplished in the courts in Europe. His command of the chiaroscuro technique causes the figures to seem to pop out of or fade back into the darker sections.
Danae (1636)
| Date Completed | 1636 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions (cm) | 185 x 203 |
| Location | Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia |
Danae was King Acrisius of Argos’s daughter in Greek mythology. The king was upset that he had no boys to inherit the kingdom and sought advice from an oracle. The king was told that his grandson would eventually end up killing him. Danae was without a child at the time, so the king imprisoned her in a tower to prevent the prophecy from coming true. But, Zeus noticed Danae and realized his love for her, so he visited her in the guise of a ray of gold light and impregnated her and she gave birth to a son she called Perseus. Her body and face are beautifully illuminated by a spectacular heavenly ray of golden light that streams in from the left side of the scene. A sensual softness has been achieved in the piece and is visible in all of the fabric and gleaming metal surrounding the seductive figure.
The painting’s subject matter is primarily the woman wearing stunning pieces of jewelry, however, the ray of light still plays an important part in the artwork. A gold-colored Cherub with tied-up hands, a symbol of purity, floats over the female figure in this large artwork. Although Rembrandt’s wife was the initial inspiration for Danae, the figure’s visage was eventually modified to that of Geertje Dircx, his lover at the time. Rembrandt did not depict many mythical themes, but this one is arguably his most powerful because of the gentle beauty of the youthful naked woman. On the 15th of June 1985, a Soviet Lithuanian national named Bronius Maigys, later deemed insane, damaged Rembrandt’s artwork by throwing sulfuric acid on it and cutting it repeatedly with his knife. The restoration of the artwork commenced the very same day.
The Night Watch (1642)
| Date Completed | 1642 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions (cm) | 363 x 437 |
| Location | Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, the Netherlands |
This artwork, one of the best portraits of the 17th-century Dutch Baroque period, was completed at the height of Rembrandt’s career in Amsterdam. It’s a group depiction of a militia company that was paid for by the men depicted, and it was produced for the Musketeers Assembly Hall. It was only in the later part of the 18th century, that it was given its enduring but erroneous title based on the long-held belief that the painting suggested a nighttime scene. However, its dim appearance had actually been generated by the early discoloration of its multi-layered coat of varnish. The painting was very popular at the time, partly because it transforms a very commonplace topic into a dramatic artwork. In contrast to earlier Baroque-era representations of militia organizations, which generally depicted its members lined up in perfect lines or seated at a table, Rembrandt’s artwork depicts the group fully outfitted and poised to begin marching.
Rembrandt draws attention to three significant individuals within the group, exhibiting his command of light and shadow – the two men in the middle and the girl in the middle left of the background. The individual standing in front of the small girl has on a helmet on which we can see an oak leaf emblem. This was regarded as a common Musketeer symbol. Several people are portrayed brandishing weapons. During the Dutch War of Independence in the 16th century, local militia groups were formed to safeguard communities from attack by the Spanish army stationed in Flanders. However, during the artist’s time, they were no longer used for military purposes save on the frontiers, and remained in place simply for symbolic purposes. Some scholars have stated that the troop in Rembrandt’s artwork appears to be marching out to participate in some sort of contest involving shooting weapons. Other scholars have suggested that it refers to historical events, however, these theories have since been disproven.
Bathsheba at Her Bath (1654)
| Date Completed | 1654 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions (cm) | 142 x 142 |
| Location | Louvre Museum, Paris, France |
The depiction is based on the Old Testament account of King David, who craved after Bathsheba after watching her bathing. She was the partner of one of his men, Uriah, whom he subsequently sent into combat and instructed his generals that they should abandon him, leaving him to die. Bathsheba bathing was not a novel topic, but most other painters had depicted her along with her handmaidens in the middle of an outdoor scene, often including the figure of David secretly staring at her nude body. However, Rembrandt deviated from the conventional portrayal of the scenario, leaving Bathsheba alone except for the company of her maid, who is soaking her feet in preparation for her meeting with the King.
The model used in this work was most likely Hendrickje Stoffels, the artist’s mistress. The painting, which is considered a study of seduction and innocence, became one of Rembrandt’s most popular due to its colorful richness, soft chiaroscuro, and psychological depth. Bathsheba is pictured with a letter from King David summoning her to appear before him. Her somewhat sad but contemplating expression suggests that she is fascinated by the proposal but apprehensive that if she travels to King David, she would betray her husband. God eventually severely chastised the King for this immoral behavior.
Jacob Blessing the Sons of Joseph (1656)
| Date Completed | 1656 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions (cm) | 173 x 209 |
| Location | Schloss Wilhelmshone, Kassel, Hesse, Germany |
In the Bible, when Joseph learns that Jacob, his father, will soon pass away, he takes Ephraim and Manasseh to see him. He asks for Jacob to bestow blessings on his sons. Jacob agrees, but to Joseph’s amazement, he places his right hand on the head of Ephraim. The eldest was supposed to be blessed with that hand, and Ephraim was the youngest of the sons. Despite Joseph’s protests, Jacob predicted that Ephraim’s seed would lead to the emergence of many nations. Jacob certainly knew that Ephraim’s tribe would eventually outnumber Manasseh’s tribe.
During the somber yet beautiful family moment, the boys’ mother watches from the right of the painting. The drapes have been drawn to the sides to allow the visitor to gaze upon the intimate setting, which is lit in golden cream hues from the left of the canvas. Even though Rembrandt’s later religious artworks are frequently lauded as some of his best creations, many people were not familiar with them until the 19th century had almost come to an end. The artist felt that the human emotions we all experience were more essential than any other part of existence, and he started to express those views in his paintings 200 years ago. This artwork was painted the year that the artist went bankrupt; it was a dark era in his life during which he sought solace through his artistic endeavors.
Self-Portrait with Two Circles (1660)
| Date Completed | 1660 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions (cm) | 114 x 94 |
| Location | Kenwood House, London, United Kingdom |
This is the artist depicted in the early 1660s, later in his career, and at a time when he was using dark colors and thickly painted Impasto to produce intricate and intriguing artworks. Historians consider this self-portrait, one of several produced during his final decade of life, to be the most intriguing of them all. It stands out among nearly 80 other famous paintings of Rembrandt due to its lighter-toned background, which emphasizes the peculiar arrangement of the two circles that arc over the wall. Rembrandt’s nearly obsessive preoccupation with his own face may be interpreted as a journey of self-discovery, a means for him to assess who he was at various periods in his professional life.
The flat, light backdrop with circular motifs was odd for Rembrandt’s painting style, and the meaning has long been debated. The most popular interpretation, which has a few precedents, is that a complete circle represents creative ability. For example, the pope once called Giotto to illustrate his ability, so he drew a flawless circle in one single move. The absence of a date and signature, which was rare for a Rembrandt self-portrait, suggests that he may not have considered the piece as completed.
The Jewish Bride (1667)
| Date Completed | 1667 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions (cm) | 121 x 166 |
| Location | Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, the Netherlands |
In the early years of the 19th century, an art collector based in Amsterdam interpreted this particular Rembrandt artwork as a Jewish father presenting jewelry to his daughter on the day of her marriage, and this is where it received its current name. The theory is no longer recognized, and the couple’s real identity remains unknown. The absence of anecdotal background adds to the uncertainty, leaving just the fundamental universal topic of a couple united in love. While the technical proof reveals that the artist had a larger and more complicated composition in mind, the location of his signature implies that its present proportions are not much modified from those at the moment of the painting’s completion.
The Biblical couple Rebekah and Isaac are the most likely candidates for identification. Traditionally, Isaac lied that she was actually his sister while they dwelt among the Philistines, only attempting to touch her in private for fear of being killed by the locals owing to Rebekah’s beauty. The renowned artist Vincent Van Gogh once sat in front of the artwork in a museum in 1885, staring at it as if in a deep state of contemplative trance. Many consider the painting to be one of the best portrayals of the exquisite merging of physical and spiritual love in art history.
That completes our list of Rembrandt’s paintings that have captured the attention of millions of people through the centuries. With his ever-improving manipulation of paint, the artist would eventually transcend the ingenuity of masters such as Titian, making his use of paint as much a topic in the design of his painting as his subjects. He was regarded as a brilliant portraitist of his day, celebrated for perfectly portraying his subjects’ unique traits and emotional quirks. His commitment to beauty and truth in everyday life was emulated by numerous artists of his generation. He influenced painters such as Francis Bacon and Frank Auerbach in the 20th century.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Was Significant About Rembrandt’s Portraits?
When it came to the famous paintings of Rembrandt himself, many believe that his self-portraits acted as a kind of documentation of his life and where he was at various points in his life. His group portraits are also highly valued. His mastery of light and shadows helped him breathe life into his artworks.
What Was Rembrandt’s Painting Style?
Rembrandt’s paintings are noted for their attention to detail and naturalism. Textures, textiles, skin tones, and other features of the human figure, along with the surrounding items, were meticulously depicted. His attention to detail added to his paintings’ realistic qualities. Rembrandt frequently employed the impasto technique, in which he added thick layers of paint to the canvas’s surface. Many of Rembrandt’s artworks depict stories from mythology, the Bible, or daily life.
