Rembrandt Quotes

Dutch painter and printmaker (1606–1669)

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (15 July 1606 – 4 October 1669) was a Dutch painter, printmaker, and draughtsman. He is generally considered one of the greatest visual artists in history.

From: Wikiquote (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Native Name: Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn

Alternative Names: Rembrandt van Rijn • Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn • Rembrandt Harmensz. Van Rijn • Rembrandt Harmenszoon Van Rijn • Rembrandt Van Rhyn • Reimbrandt • Rembrandt van Rhijn • Reimbrant van Rijn • Harmensz. Van Rijn Rembrandt • Lun-po-lang • Paul Rembrandt Van Ryn • Rembrandt van Ryn • Rembrandt Hermansz van Rijn • Rhijn Rembrandt • Rembrandt Garmens van Reĭn • Rembrandt Olandese • Rembrant van Rijn • Rhyn • Van Rhyn Rhembrandt • Rāmbirānt • Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rhijn • Rambrandt van Rijn • Rembrandt Harmensz Van Rijn • Rembrant Van Rin • Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rhyn • Rembrandt van Rhyn • Rembrand van Rijn • Rembrant van Rhijn • Rembrandt Hermanszoon van Rijn • Rembrandt van Reĭn • Rembrandt Van Rijn • Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn • Paul Rembrandt Van Rijn • Hamenzoon van Rijn Rembrandt • Rembrant • Rendbrand • Rhembrant • Harmensz van Ryn Rembrandt • Van Rhyn Rembrant • van Run Rembrandt Harmensz • P. Rembrant • Rembrandt. • Rembrach' • Rembrant Van-Ryn • Rembrantz • Rembrands • Van Ryn Paul Rembrant • Rijnbrant • Reimbrant • Rembrants • Reimbrans • Remb. • Renbraut • Rembrat • Reimbrand • Reubrent • Van Rhyn Rembrandt • Rembrand van Ryn • Rimbrandt • Rembrandl • Rembrandt v. Rijn • Rembrandt-Vanryn • Reembrand • Rimbran • Rymbrandt • Rembraud • Rinebrand • Harmensz Rembrandt • rembrandt von rijn • paul rembrandt harmensz van ryn • Paul Rembrand • Rembrardt • Rimbrant • Rembrandt Van Roein • reinbrandt • van Ryn Rembrandt • Rheinbrand • Rembrandt Van-Rhin • Rembrandt Harmensz van Run • Rambrant • Rem. • Rembrandt van Rhin • Rienbraut • Rembrandt H. van Rhyn • Rebranch • Renbrant • Raimbrant • Reynbrant • Rembrant V. R. • V. Rembrants • Reyn Van Rembrant • Rembrand van Rhyn • Haremsz Rembrandt van Rijn • Rembrandt V. R. • H. van Rembrandt • Rymbrand • Rembrant Van Rhyn • Van-Ryn Rembrant Fiammingo • Reimbranlt • Rymbrant • dit Rembrandt Van-Ryn • Rinbraut • Rembrandt. Van Ryn • van ryn, harmensz rembrandt • P. Van-Rhyn Rembrandt • Rembrand Ryn von • Rymbrants • Rembrad • P. Rembrandt van Ryn • Rainbrant • Rembrand von Ryn • Paul Rembrandt • Riombrach • Rembrand Van Rhim • Rymbrand Van Ryn • Reimbrat • Rembrant van Ryn • Rembr. • Van-Rhin Rembrandt • R. Rhyn • Rimbrandt van Rhyn • P. Rembrandt • Bembrant • Reitumbraz • Rembradt • Rhembrant Van-Rhyn • Rymbrants Van Ryn • Rijn brant • Rembrand von Rien • Raembrant • Harmansz Rembrandt van Ryn • Rembrandt Van Rin • Harmensz van Rijn Rembrandt • Rembrant van Leyden • Rimbrand Van Rhin • Reymbrant • Rembrandt Harmensz. van Run • Rimbrans • Harmensz, van Rijn Rembrandt • Rembrandt Harmensz van Rhyn • rembrandt v. ryn • Rembrandt Vanrin • Harmensz Rembrandt van Rijn • Rimbrand • H. van Rijn Rembrandt • van Rijn Rembrandt • Rembrandt H V Rhijn • Rinbrant • Rimbrant Van-Rhein • Rynbrand van Ryn • Rembramt • Harmensz Rembrandt van Ryn • Paul Rembrant Vanryn • Paul Rembrand van Ryn • R. van Ryn • Renbrand • Rembrant van Reyn • Rembrandt H. V. Rhyn • Van Reyn Rembrandt • Rembrandt Harmensz van Ryn • Rembrant V.R. • Rembrandt van Rjin • Rembrant Van Rhin • van Ryn Rembrant • Remdrandt • o Rembrandt Wan Rhin • H. v. Rembrandt • Rembrand • Reinbrand • Rhembrant van Rhyn • Arimbran • Rembrande • Reymbram olandes • Raimbran • rembrandt h. v. rhijn • Rhynbrandt • Rembrandt Van-Ryn • Van-Ryn Rembrandt • Rynbrandt • Harmensz Rembrandt v. Rijn • rembrandt harmensz v. rijn • van Ryn Rembrand • Rembrand von Reihn • paul rembrandt van ryn • P. Rembrand van Ryn • Rambrandt • Rembrant van Rhim • Rijmbrand • Van Rejn • R. van Rijn

From Wikidata (CC0)

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I envy the poet. He is encouraged toward drunkenness and wallows with nubile wenches while the painter must endure wretchedness and pain for his art.

2.Of course you will say that I ought to be practical and ought to try and paint the way they want me to paint. Well, I will tell you a secret. I have tried and I have tried very hard, but I can't do it. I just can't do it! And that is why I am just a little crazy

3.
A painting is complete when it has the shadows of a god.

4.
A painting is finished when the artist says it is finished.
5Without atmosphere a painting is nothing.

Quote in Rembrandt's letter to Constantijn Huygens (Amsterdam, 12 January 1639) on 3 paintings commissioned (in 1635 and started by Rembrandt already in 1635/36) by the imperial court, as cited in Painters on Painting (1963) by Eric Protter, p. 78 / Dutch original text in The Rembrandt Documents, Walter Strauss & Marjon van der Meulen - Abaris Books, New York 1979, p. 161.

Quote in original Dutch (citaat van Rembrandt in Nederlands): Dit is naer mijn huijsvrou geconterfeit do si 21 jaer oud was, den derden dach als wij getroudt waeren, den 8 junijus 1633

Because of the great zeal and devotion which I experienced in executing well the two pictures which His Highness commissioned me to make - the one being Christ's dead body being laid in the tomb [ 'The Entombment of Christ' ], and the other Christ arising from the dead to the consternation of the guards — these same two pictures are now finished through studious application, so that I am now disposed to deliver the same and so to afford to His Highness. For in these two paintings the greatest and most natural movement has been expressed [and rendered], which is also the main reason why they have taken so long to execute.

As seen from the Weighing House, the Town Hall of Amsterdam / after it was burnt down. / July, the 9th 1652. / Rembrandt van Rijn.[Rembrandt The Ruins of the Old City Hall in Amsterdam (After the Fire). [ Rembrandt The Ruins of the Old City Hall in Amsterdam (After the Fire) ].

Choose only one master — Nature.

Life etches itself onto our faces as we grow older, showing our violence, excesses or kindnesses.

[..that he] would not touch the painting, nor finish it unless the claimant pays him the balance due or guarantees it by giving a security.

Try to put well in practice what you already know; and in so doing, you will in good time, discover the hidden things which you now inquire about. Practice what you know, and it will help to make clear what now you do not know. By following carefully the rules of teachings provided that they are truthful, you can save a lot of time. But a student full of doubt is unable to move forwards and to judge well the truth.

Rembrandt's comments on his drawing of 'The Rest on the Flight into Egypt', as remembered by his former pupil Samuel van Hoogstraten c. 1643 (translation from the original Dutch: Anne Porcelijn)

in a letter to Constantijn Huygens (Amsterdam, February 1636) on a Passion Cycle of 3 paintings, commissioned already in 1635 by the imperial court, as quoted in The Rembrandt Documents, Walter Strauss & Marjon van der Meulen - Abaris Books, New York 1979, p. 129

version in original Dutch (origineel citaat van Rembrandt, in Nederlands): Van d'waech af te sien statshuis van Amsterldam / doen 't afgebrandt was. / Den 9 july 1652. Rembrandt van Rijn.

A painting is finished when the artist says it is finished.

version in original Dutch (origineel citaat van Rembrandt, in Nederlands): Een vroom gemoet / Acht eer voor goet - Rembrandt, Amsterdam 1634

I have read your pleasant letter of 14th with singular pleasure. I discern your kind inclination and affection which I feel deeply obliged to requite [you] with service and friendship. Because of [my] inclination to do this, [and] in spite of your wish (of Constantijn Huygens], [I] am sending [you] along [with this letter] a painting, hoping that you will accept it, because it is the first momento which I offer you, Sir.. ..postscripttum]: My [dear] Sir: hang this picture in a bright light and in such a manner that it can be viewed from a distance. It will then sparkle at its best.

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