The World of Rembrandt: 1606-1669

Time-Life Library of Art

by Robert Wallace

hardcover

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Art History, Biography, History, Reference

188 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

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Reviews

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

He created an autobiography in art that is the equal of the finest ever produced in literature—even of the intimately analytical Confessions of St. Augustine.

A sympathetic, readable overview of the life, times, and works of world’s most famous (but unknown) artists. Like other artists of that era, Rembrandt van Rijn is mostly known as a caricature based on the imaginings of others. Understandable, as he left little written documentation, but also remarkable as his legacy of hundreds of paintings, sketches, and etchings paint a picture that’s hard to misinterpret.

Rembrandt’s chiaroscuro served him as a means not merely of suggesting space but of expressing the depths of human character and of religious experience.

Lavishly illustrated with dozens of the master’s works, many reproduced on the same scale as the originals. Given that, it is curious that some works are omitted, even though Wallace picks them out for analysis. Balancing that omission is the inclusion of contemporary works by other artists to demonstrate Rembrandt’s superior craft.

Rembrandt’s fame while he lived was greater as an etcher than as a painter. … Above all Rembrandt’s great gift as an etcher lay in preserving spontaneity while attending to close detail.

The works and analysis are arranged chronologically to track the development of both the artist and his worldview. A bonus is numerous self-portraits, often juxtaposed, revealing his physical and emotional progress.

If a particular area of Rembrandt’s painting is to be singled out for greatness, it is the Biblical pictures of his maturity. … Although their existence was of course known, these works were not really “discovered” by artists and critics until fairly near the end of the 19th Century. In his late religious works, regardless of their themes, humanity lies always at the core.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

My husband read this aloud to me in the evenings. It is an excellent book!

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I reached for this after finishing Laura Cumming's 'Thunderclap' to fill evident gaps in my memory and knowledge. Happy to say it fulfilled expectations, generous with illustrations and saying much about Rembrandts' life and times, his many skills and inspirations.

[Carl Waluconis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another in the Time-Life Library of Art published in the 1960's. I suppose they have been classified as middle brow, but who cares? I've enjoyed all of them that I have read. This has a central thesis on Rembrandt, supported by analysis and many beautiful reproductions, including enlarged details from part of his etchings and paintings. The early chapters include the history of the time, but not as much as some of the other volumes in the series. However, Wallace examines the ways that Rembrandt interacts with his culture in detail. This includes his critiques of it. He was much more in tune with the humanity of daily life, capturing an interior life of those he placed in his creations. The economic side of art is a constant factor in the book, as the fluctuating market became a part of Rembrandt's life. He most often ignored this market pursuing his personal visions of the world.

[Kennedy Scherp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t read every single page of this book because it is massive(I skimmed through every single one though), but I found it this summer in a little antique shop in Texas. It was so exciting to me because early in the summer I had went to the Mauritshuis museum in De Hague, Netherlands and saw a self portrait made by Rembrandt. The Mauritshuis is also known for the world famous painting “the girl with the pearl earring” My dads entire family is from the Netherlands and they all love art as much as I do, so I bought it for not only the great reminder of the memory of when I saw the painting, but also because I think Rembrandt is one of history’s best artists. If you love history and art I definitely recommend this book.

[Penny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the artist -- felt like the writer inserted too much conjecture into Rembrandt's psyche considering the dearth of letters and diaries the artist left behind.

[Melissa Namba · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I appreciated the history given in the book, to flesh out the milieu of Rembrandt, I wish that more of the book focused on examining the actual art, the way the very last section did. I have been to Rembrandt's house twice this year and have been fascinated with his etchings. I love that the book discusses the inventory of his possessions, because they display a significant number of them in his house, although they are facsimiles. I'd also like this book, particularly the history laden portion, to be more transportable. I would have loved to have had the history with me as I toured amsterdam, and it is a shame that since the book is large, due to maybe only 20 large prints in it, I couldn't bring it with me. This book needs to decide if it is a history book or an art analysis book, and make that its focus.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up at the library on a whim, thinking even if it was too encyclopedic I could still look at the pictures! To my very pleasant surprise, it was incredibly readable and quite interesting...and then there are the pictures!

[Meen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Baroque paintings move me like no others.

[Ravi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Visuals in the books are just amazing , with out doubt. Brilliance of Rembrandt's work.. and its arranged and sequenced in good way to understand and read. still reading though ...