James Brittan, age 14, of Freeport, I11., for his question:
WAS REMBRANDT A PROLIFIC PAINTER?
Rembrandt, The Netherlands' greatest artist, was very prolific. His tremendous output included about 600 paintings, 300 etchings and 1,400 drawings.
Born Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn in 1606, he spent his early years in art study and in painting small, precisely finished pictures of Biblical and historical subjects.
Rembrandt rapidly surpassed ail of his teachers' ability. By the time he was 20 years of age he had achieved local success and began to teach. His strong personality attracted many students.
When he was 26 years old he moved from his hometown of Leiden to Amsterdam and remained there for the rest of his life, except for a few short trips within The Netherlands.
The range of Rembrandt's subjects is extraordinary. His works include landscapes, nudes, portraits of everyday life, animals and birds, historical and mythological subjects and works inspired by stories from the old and New Testaments. Throughout his career, he also made about 100 known portraits of himself.
Rembrandt's reputation rests on his power as a storyteller, his warm sympathy and his ability to show the innermost feelings of the people he portrayed. His use of light and shadow creates an atmosphere that enables us to share his sensitive response to nature and profound understanding of man's inner life.
Few artists match Rembrandt's genius for showing human aspects of Biblical characters. He was equally capable of suggesting the divine spark which rests in every man.
Rembrandt's most famous picture, many experts say, is called "The Night Watch." It was painted in 1642 when the artist was 36.
The mature Rembrandt, although ranked as one of his country's leading artists, did not enjoy the wide popularity he had as a young painter. He painted more for himself.
A legend is told of Rembrandt's famous "Night Watch" painting. The men who commissioned the portrait were not satisfied with it and refused the painting because Rembrandt would not change it in any way. Because he would not change to please public taste, the tale continues, he soon lost patrons and friends and spent his last years penniless and in total obsecurity.
However, evidence proves that Rembrandt received a high price for "The Night Watch" and that he continued to receive important public and private commissions during he last years of his life.
Hard times did come for the artist, however. At the age of 50 he was forced to declare bankruptcy and his house and possessions were sold at auction.
In place of earlier sensational effects, Rembrandt's later work shows solemn restraint and tenderness. He did many majestic paintings that were not commisioned works. The paintings were done to satisfy his own inner needs.
Rembrandt was 63 when he died.