How Rembrandt Reveals Your Beautiful, Imperfect Self: Life Lessons from the Master

by Roger Housden

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 Rembrandt’s 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 Rembrandt’s self-portraits and life Open your eyes; Love this world; Troubles will come; Stand like a tree; Keep the faith; Embrace the inevitable

Genres: Art, Nonfiction

256 pages, Hardcover

First published April 26, 2005

About the author

Roger Housden is the author of some twenty books of non fiction, including the best selling Ten Poems series. His new book, SAVED BY BEAUTY: ADVENTURES OF AN AMERICAN ROMANTIC IN IRAN, comes out on May 17 2011 with Broadway Books.

Reviews

[Adrienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is exactly what I love about fine art. I learned a bit of history and a lot about myself. Housden's chapter headings may seem like the same trite self-help stuff you can read anywhere, but when he couples it with Rembrandt's divine artwork and incredible life, the life lessons become much more powerful. Almost like scripture. I wish he could get this reprinted with full-color reproductions of every painting. It was awesome.

What to expect: No extensive footnotes or super scholarly stuff. It sounds like he read three Simon Schama-type books and then visited a bunch of museums and wrote a book about how to have a happier life. I really liked it.

[Cynthia Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

The subtitle of this book is "Why Rembrandt is important" and that sums it up, but for surprising reasons beyond the obvious - he was an artist a century or two ahaead of his time. The book is also a study-guide to yourself! I wish there were better illustrations, but what the author recommends are two website to see excellent versions of the paintings referrred to in the story adn text.

[Beth Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great mini history of Rembrandt's life, along with an overview of some of his most personal paintings and how they reflected his life at the time.

[ger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice read giving a quick history of Rembrandt and an excellent argument about what his paintings can teach us. Well written and full of a love for the Human Condition. I take a star away because I would like to have images of more of the paintings discussed and colour instead of black and white.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

a lovely book. it made me re-think Rembrandt. many interesting facts about his life.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I suggest taking the time to look up the paintings on line which he mentions in the book. Such a great way to see and ponder many of Rembrandt's works.