Rembrandt

by Gladys Schmitt

If the story of Rembrandt's life is a great subject for the novelist, it is not because his development into one of the world's supreme painters has profound spiritual significance. His life, unlike that of most creative artists, was closely intertwined with his work; and the conflicts of family, class, marriage, children and society that run through his turbulent career have become basic themes for Western man over the past three hundred years.

Genres: Biography, Art

659 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1961

Reviews

[Gregg Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is said Vincent Van Gogh stood and stared at a Rembrandt painting in the Louvre and said, "This man must have lived and died many times to be able to paint like this."

I can not believe how little information on-line there is on "Rembrandt" by Gladys Schmitt. It took adding the author's name to find it on Goodreads. I have read just about every book you can imagine on great artists. Fiction, non-fiction, fictionalized, you name it. All I have to say is, this book is the best one of them all.

If you want to climb into Rembrandt's life, share his unusual surroundings, interact with his companions, experience the ups and downs of his artistic life, this book is the way to do it. Yes, the details are fantastic. It's as if Schmitt was a regular guest at Rembrandt's studio. But more importantly, Schmitt captures the spirit of the times and of the man.

Personally I think Rembrandt is the best painter that ever lived. I, like Van Gogh, have stood and stared at his paintings (in the Art Institute in Chicago) and marvelled. One painting I went to over and over again, hoping against hope that it would still be there. I felt like the man portrayed in the painting could walk right out of it. I could sense his mood by the nuanced crease in his forehead. His intensity by the glare of his brown eyes. Sense his dignity by the arch in his back. His position by the fabulous silk of his attire and the plume in his gold helmet.

When I encounter an artist like Rembrandt, my first thought is, "How did he do it?" How does a human being reach such fabulous heights of mastery? If you'd like to know how Rembrandt achieved his, this book will inform you.

Schmitt writes:

"In his pursuit of the ultimate he had cheated himself of what every dolt, every mediocrity had taken and enjoyed."

Follow Rembrandt to the heights of the ultimate in this book. Fair warning: you will leave this world behind while you do.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this first in 1962 and really enjoyed it; in the past few years I’ve wanted to read it again and finally found a copy. Rembrandt was a complex man. He was a talented painter but full of self-doubt and his paintings were often misunderstood or underestimated by his peers. His family life was full of sorrow. His wife Saskia bore him four children; only the last, Titus, lived beyond infancy. On her death, Saskia left a large amount of money (from her wealthy family) to Titus, but Rembrandt lived a lavish life-style and spent most of Titus’ funds. Rembrandt and his servant girl Hendrikje would have married except that Saskia’s will prohibited it, but they lived together for years and had a daughter named Cornelia who helped care for Rembrandt in his last days. The book is 657 pages long. I don’t remember whether I was aware of this on my first reading, but this time it seemed very wordy in spots. Schmitt did a lot of research, including many documents in Dutch, but there were times when I wondered whether parts of the story were facts or fiction. All in all I enjoyed it and am glad that I searched it out and read it again.

[Marion · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an old book - 1960. My mother gave me a used copy that she must have found at a library book sale. I've had it since my high school or college days. I've kept it with me through many moves from place to place. Finally read it! It was a wonderful, sensitive biography which emphasized many of of themes in Rembrandt's work. I really loved this book. It was long (650 pages) but the depth and detail were worth it. I wish there were a better cover image here. My copy has one of Rembrandt's self portraits.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won't repeat all the details you can find in one of the other reviews, but I will say that I think this is not only beautifully researched but so beautifully written that I have reread it three times since the day that I discovered a nearly worn out copy in a used bookstore probably 20 years ago. It was already a 40 year old book at that time.

This book, in my mind, should be a classic.

[Olga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Largely accurate fictional biography. Beautiful and sensitive recreation not only of the artist's life and work but also the times in which he lived.

[Leslie Buck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who was not interested in art would likely rate this book at 2 stars or so. It is a bit grandiose as well as dated. On the other hand, anyone who has engaged with a Rembrandt self-portrait would most likely love this book. As a painter who made his own image over a lifetime a major part of his work, Rembrandt is a subject asking for our imaginations to engage with his life. As a novel reader, this was the best medium for me to get to know him and his portraits in a new way. I know that the writer imagined almost all of this novel with only a bare outline of his life available from documentary sources. Still, his self-portraits are asking us to imagine his life. I have watched documentaries and read non-fiction, but none of them touched me in the same way as a novel.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written story of a man whose 63 years left a legacy that few have or will ever leave behind.

[Tracie Sneed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learned so much about this great artist, his family, the historical context in which he painted and what drove him to paint. Interesting man to say the least.

[Lester Nathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Finally, I'm done with this epic. Remember, the two star rating means I thought the book was OK. Ms Schmitt deserves credit for taking on this subject matter. Here are my comments:
1. The book was much too long. Why didn't her editor realize this and chop off some of the unneeded sections? (Because he probably liked it!)
2. Rembrandt's artwork was prolific. Yet, only a fraction of his masterpieces are covered, including the obvious ones: Portrait of Saskia, his own self-portraits, The Night Watch, The Anatomy Lesson, the controversial Oath of the Batavians, The Syndics and a few others. If she's going to write a 600-page novel, then more of his great works need to be included, especially the landscapes!
3. Based on her descriptions of Rembrandt's art, I'm not sure how competent an art historian/critic Ms Schmitt really was. You'll have to be the judge, and make sure you see what she's describing.
4. There were a few sentences of a sexual nature scattered throughout, which I didn't think were necessary. Others may disagree.
5. Finally, I know there were a lot of competent and famous/semi-famous Dutch artists around these times and only a few are mentioned, including Jan Lievens and Carel Fabritius, whom he knew personally and Daniel Seghers. What about Johannes Vermeer, for instance?

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly good for a book picked up on a whim at an estate sale. Some interpretations of the life of Rembrandt have evolved since this was public (his relationship with Geertje Dirckx in particular), but this is a solid read.

[Christiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

An historical fiction that sucked me in to the life of Rembrandt. I loved putting together the pieces of his life that I had previously only seen through his artwork.

[Lin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glady Schmitt captures the essence of artistic passion and tragedy.