GOOD TIMES AND BAD TIMES

Rembrandt’s fame as a painter grew steadily. He received increasingly more commissions in Amsterdam, mainly for portraits. He received these commissions via the Amsterdam art dealer Hendrick Uylenburgh (1587-1661). In 1631 Rembrandt decided to leave his native Leiden to settle in Amsterdam permanently.

At the age of 25, Rembrandt van Rijn both enjoyed good times and bad times.
Rembrandt moved in with Hendrick Uylenburgh (1587-1661). This art dealer arranged major portrait commissions for him in Amsterdam.
Living the high life
In 1634 Rembrandt married Hendrick’s rich cousin Saskia Uylenburgh (1612-1642). Saskia was well-connected in Amsterdam’s upper classes. Rembrandt and Saskia moved to a house in Nieuwe Doelenstraat. Later on they moved to the ‘Suyckerbackerij’ (bake house) complex on Binnen-Amstel. In 1639 Rembrandt paid 13,000 Dutch florins for a prominent house in Sint-Anthonisbreestraat, now The Rembrandt House Museum.
Living the hard live
After 8 years marriage Saskia died of TBC and left one son named Titus. It was the only of the four who stayed alive, altough he died in 1668 of pest. In 1647 he started to live with Hendrickje Stoffels, who gave birth at his daughter Cornelia(1654). In the meantime Rembrandt lost his popularity because of his personal way of painting and his expensive life brought him to a faillisement. His concubine and his son Titus tried to help him out and started a kind of Artcompany where his father worked for. Rembrandt died on 4 oktober 1669  and his body  is barried in the Westerkerk. 

Rembrandt’s works are extremely vital. His canvases exude feelings and thoughts. This is most evident in his portraits and self-portraits, which show great psychological depth. Rembrandt’s Amsterdam is surprisingly well preserved. The city is a brilliant backdrop to the range of Rembrandt 400 expositions and other events.