18. Рембрандт

As a result of struggle for independence 7 northern provinces got separated from the influence of Spanish Kingdom and formed their own republic. They had an access to the sea and sea trade was flouring. They hadn’t vast colonies and the people of the country were industrious. The country became one of the most prosperous in the World. Middle class and even farmers could spend money for decoration of the houses because living standards were high. The most popular genres were landscapes, still life paintings, genre scenes and portraits. The size of the canvases was also rather small because most of the pictures were meant for peoples homes. The artists didn’t paint what they want, rather they painted what they were commissioned. Artists have a narrow specialization because if a painter became a famous for landscapes he was commissioned for landscapes and he didn’t paint anything else. Painting a specific kinds of pictures Dutch Artists brought their skills to perfection in painting this kind of pictures. It was Yan van Goyen who is known for invented aerial perspective. And these were Dutch artists who showed other that it is not necessary to have an idea or subject. Just the simple matter of usual things drawn with perfection can make a picture masterpiece. There is a gallery in the Hermitage devoted to Rembrandt. There are about 25 canvases and several drawings which date from each of his creative periods. This allows to trace the development of his art. Rembrandt was born in Laden where he went through the Zatin school and the University. Later he lived in Amsterdam where he studied art under Zastman. From 1626 Rembrandt became an independent artist whose works were highly recognized by the public. This period of the artists life is illustrated by some outstanding works such as “Flora”, “Abraham’s sacrifice”. Great variety of subjects can be traced in the paintings of his 2nd creative period. To this period we refer such pictures as “David and Johnathan” this painting was acquired by P-I in 1716 and thus was the 1st picture by Rembrandt brought to Russia. “The parable of the labors in the vineyard”, “A lady trying her earrings” here one can recognize his 2nd wife Henrike who became his permanent model for Rembrandt’s 2nd period. After 1640 Rembrandt’s short happy period of life had passed and his life went wrong. His greatest commission “The night Watch” wasn’t recognized by the public. He was in want, He had to sell his house collection of oriental treasures and silks which he had used in his work. He moved to a poor district of the city. In those days he painted many portraits. One of them is the portrait of “An old man in red”. Rembrandt preferred to paint such people who acquired real wisdom and become real characters. One of the Rembrandt’s masterpieces which was completed short before his death is “The return of the prodigal son”. The episode attracted the artist’s attention a number of times in his early graphic works, but in the Hermitage painting the theme is interrupted with deep feeling, elevating it to a symbol of Universal significance. Complex emotions are expressed in the figures of the bent old man and his suffering, kneeling son – repentance and charity, boundless love and regret at the lateness of spiritual awakening. These images represent the summit of Rembrandt’s psychological mastery. The mastery of Remrandt was that he was a psychological master and before paint a picture he tried to understand what people feel and think, they emotion in this or that situation. He tried to express in his paintings this intangible things.