Self portrait 2

Born in Leiden, Netherlands in 1606, Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn attended primary school from 1612 to 1616 and then attended the Latin School in Leiden, where he participated in Bible studies and lessons on the classics. It is unclear whether Rembrandt completed his studies at the Latin School, but one account claims that he was withdrawn from the school early and sent to train as a painter at his own request.

Rembrandt was a 17th-century painter and printmaker whose work came to dominate what has since been called the Dutch Golden Age. One of the most revered artists of all time, Rembrandt's greatest creative triumphs are seen in his portraits of his contemporaries, illustrations of biblical scenes and self-portraits, as well as his innovative etchings and use of shadows and light.

Rembrandt painted, drew, and etched so many self-portraits in his life that the changes in his appearance invite us to evaluate his state of mind by comparing one image with another. Such biographical reading is encouraged by the way in which the artist confronts the viewer directly. Rembrandt painted this self-portrait in 1659 after having suffered financial failure despite so many years of success. His spacious house on the Sint-Anthonisbreestraat and other possessions had been auctioned the previous year to satisfy his creditors. In this last work, the sunken eyes that looked at the viewer seem to express inner strength and dignity. However, interpreting paintings on the basis of an artist's biography is dangerous, particularly with an artist whose life has been romanticized to the extent that Rembrandt has.

The light that illuminates the head so effectively also accentuates Rembrandt's left shoulder and, to a lesser extent, his widely executed clasped hands. Rembrandt's pose was inspired by Balthasar Castiglione's famous portrait of Raphael, which appeared at auction in Amsterdam in 1639. Following Raphael's prototype, Rembrandt used pose, costume, and expression to present himself as a scholarly painter.