Rembrandt, one of the greatest artists of all time, was spectacularly successful in his twenties and thirties, bankrupt by his fifties, and died an unsung death in 1669 at the age of sixty-three. Along the way, he had to bury four of his five children and the two loves of his life, and he had to look on while his patrons chose the predictable but uninspired work of his pupils over his own increasingly innovative style. Yet adversity seemed only to deepen his faith and his genius. His self-portraits, especially, are testimonies to the human spirit, to eyes that can see beyond the confines of the visible world, but also to the human soul, its tenacity and its aspirations, and to the human body, its beauty, its sagging truth, its essential loveliness, whatever its shape or form.
This is a deeply moving and uplifting book. Part biography, part history, part art appreciation, it takes the example of Rembrandts life and work as inspiration for the strength we need to live with passion and an unflinching acceptance of who we are.
Roger Housden shows how the incredible life and work of Rembrandt van Rijn can serve as a wise and honest mirror to clarify our own hopes, struggles, and aspirations. The book consists of six lessons that draw on Rembrandts self-portraits and life Open your eyes; Love this world; Troubles will come; Stand like a tree; Keep the faith; Embrace the inevitable

Housden, Roger; Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, 1606-1669

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers

Random House, Incorporated

Random House AudioBooks

United States, United States of America

1st ed, New York, cop. 2005

Edition Unstated, US, 2005

Removing Scanfee from Billable Books scanned before June 2011 which appear to have manually set scanfees

[curator]venus@archive.org[/curator][date]20111004134123[/date][state]approved[/state]

Includes bibliographical references (p. 231-234).

Rembrandt, one of the greatest artists of all time, was spectacularly successful in his twenties and thirties, bankrupt by his fifties, and died an unsung death in 1669 at the age of sixty-three. Along the way, he had to bury four of his five children and the two loves of his life, and he had to look on while his patrons chose the predictable but uninspired work of his pupils over his own increasingly innovative style. Yet adversity seemed only to deepen his faith and his genius. His self-portraits, especially, are testimonies to the human spirit, to eyes that can see beyond the confines of the visible world, but also to the human soul, its tenacity and its aspirations, and to the human body, its beauty, its sagging truth, its essential loveliness, whatever its shape or form.
<p> This is a deeply moving and uplifting book. Part biography, part history, part art appreciation, it takes the example of Rembrandt's life and work as inspiration for the strength we need to live with passion and an unflinching acceptance of who we are.</p>

Includes bibliographical references (p. 231-234)
Prologue: Why Rembrandt really matters -- Lesson one: Open your eyes. Look in the mirror -- Follow your calling -- The multitude you call yourself -- The art of double vision -- The long, slow look -- Lesson two: Love this world. The smell of success -- The good life -- Claiming your lineage -- For the love of woman -- The feeling for others -- Lesson three: Troubles will come. The flower fades -- A troubling masterpiece -- Trials of the heart -- Losing it all -- It's not over yet -- Lesson four: Stand like a tree. The true taste of yourself -- Giving yourself completely -- Lesson five: Keep the faith. Trust your own way -- The light in the dark -- We are not alone -- Love leads to forgiveness -- Saints and sinners -- The sanctity of human love -- Lesson six: Embrace the inevitable. Age will come -- Smile

Using the artist's self-portraits as a starting point, the author explains how Rembrandt exemplifies the ability to confront life with passion, honesty, and an uncompromising acceptance of who we are

2023-06-28