Rembrandt first studied art in his native Leyden and later worked under Pieter Lastman in Amsterdam. Around 1625 he returned to Leyden, but in 1631/32 he settled permanently in Amsterdam. Although he enjoyed a great reputation and pupils flocked to him, he suffered financial difficulties that led to insolvency in 1656. By 1660 most of his debts were settled, and his last years were spent in relative comfort. Rembrandt painted many portraits, biblical scenes, and historical subjects.

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Rembrandt Chronology By Professor S. Koslow

• 1589, Rembrandt's parents marry in the reformed Pieterskerk in Leiden.
  Father: Gerritsz van Rijn [the river Rijn]. He was the only member of his family who converted from Catholicism to Protestantism (+1630).
  Mother: Neeltgen Willemsdr. van Zuytbrouck, daughter of a baker (+1640)
  10 children , two died in infancy. Rembrandt was the 8th child. In 1640, 4 children were still living: a shoemaker, a baker, Rembrandt, and a daughter
• 1606, July 15, Rembrandt born
• 1620, May 16, enrolls in the University (2 months before his 14th birthday). Already attending Latin school
  The school trained their students in grammar and rhetoric. Lessons were based on classical literature. Rembrandt received a thorough grounding in classical and biblical stories. In 1625 the States of Holland standardized the curriculum. Possibly, there were political reasons for not pursuing an academic career; there are other reasons as well, such as obtaining student privileges, freedom from civic guard duties and a specified allowance of tax-free wine and beer.
• 1619-1622 (13-16 years) apprenticed to Jacob Isaacszoon van Swanenburgh (1571-1638). A Catholic and his father was burgomaster 5 times and held other major town offices. The rest of the family was Remonstrant. They were removed from civil office by prince Maurits in 1618. Swanenburgh had been in Italy from about
• 1600-1617, painting in Venice, Rome and Naples. He married a Neapolitan woman. A few fantasies have been preserved but none of his portraits and cityscapes. There are no discernible traces of his influences in R's oeuvre. That R. studied with Swanenburgh is known from a biography written by the Leiden burgomaster in the 2nd ed of his description of Leiden.
  R. studied with him for about 3 years.
• 1624-25, R. spends 6 months with Pieter Lastman in Amsterdam. According to Houbraken, Rembrandt also studied with Jan Pynas. History, rhetorical gestures, historical veracity, textual accuracy.
• 1625-1631, Rembrandt sets up as an independent painter in Leiden, living at home with his parents.
• 1628, the humanist Arnout van Buchell mentioned R in his notebook
• 1629, Huygens describes R.
• 1628-1631, G. Dou and Isaac Jouderville work with Rembrandt as his pupils
• 1631, commutes to Amsterdam, stays at house of Hendrick Uylenburgh, and uses studio space there for portraits. (Rembrandt lends him 1000 guilders)
• 1634, he marries Saskia Uylenburgh (1612-1642) in Friesland. She is the cousin of Rembrandt's landlord and the daughter of the late burgomaster of Leeuwarden. They live in the house of H. Uylenburgh
  R becomes an Amsterdam citizen and joins the local St Luke's guild
• 1635, moves into his own quarters, moves again in 1637, and again
• 1639, moves into the "Rembrandt house" in the Anthonisbreestraat
• 1642, Saskia dies; Rembrandt employs Geertje Dircks as nanny for son Titus, born 1641. (4 children, 3 died) Rembrandt begins relationship with Geertje Dircks, the trumpeter's widow.
• 1647, Hendrickje Stoffels joins household as maidservant
• 1649, R and Dircks have problems, breach of promise, R ordered to pay maintenance allowance of 200 guilders
• 1650 Rembrandt has Dircks detained in the Gouda house of correction
• 1654, birth of illegitimate daughter, Cornelia [with H. Stoffels]
• 1656, he transfers his house to his son Titus in order to save his inheritance. The liquidaton of R's property. Inventory of goods taken. R couldn't remarry because he risked losing income from Saskia's estate. (Reason given was "losses in business as well as damage and losses at sea." Explained variously. 1) he invested in cargo that was lost at sea, 2) his pictures were lost at sea.
• 1658, leaves St. Anthonisbreestraat, moves to the Rozengracht area. Many other artists living in that area
• 1660, Stoffels and son Titus set up a business partnership for dealing in pictures and works of art and they make R their employee
• 1663, H. dies
• 1665, Titus comes of age
• 1667, Cosimo de Medici visits Rembrandt
• 1668, Titus marries Magdalena van Loo, daughter of a silversmith, but Titus dies soon after, buried in the Westerkerk
  Rembrandt is living with Cornelia, Hendrickje's daughter
• 1669, March 22, Rembrandt's granddaughter is baptized. October 4, dies and is buried in the Westerkerk in an unknown rented grave

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