Rembrandt van Rijn

Visual Arts Dutch 1606 – 1669 319 quotes

Greatest Dutch painter, master of light and shadow

Most quoted

"Of course you will say that I ought to be practical and ought to try and paint the way they want me to paint. Well, I will tell you a secret. I have tried and tried very hard, but I can’t do it. I just can’t do it! And that is why I am just a little crazy."

— from Attributed saying

"I have three regrets in my life: I regret that I have not learned to play the violin, I regret that I have not learned to speak French, and I regret that I have not taken more time to enjoy life."

— from Attributed saying

"The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider’s web."

— from Attributed saying (Picasso)

All quotes by Rembrandt van Rijn (319)

A painting is not made to be smelled.

Attributed, but exact source is debated and likely apocryphal, reflecting his focus on visual impact over other senses.

Do not think that I am a painter of portraits; I paint men.

Attributed, reflecting his desire to capture the inner life and character of his subjects beyond mere likeness.

Choose the most natural attitude, and you will have the most beautiful picture.

Attributed, suggesting a departure from idealized poses towards realism.

I am not a painter of faces, but of souls.

Attributed, emphasizing his psychological depth in portraiture.

The greatest art is to conceal art.

Attributed, suggesting a preference for naturalism and avoiding overt artifice.

A work of art must be seen in its own light.

Attributed, possibly referring to his innovative use of chiaroscuro and the importance of proper viewing conditions.

I have no need of rules, for I have nature as my guide.

Attributed, highlighting his independent spirit and reliance on observation over academic conventions.

One must be a master of light and shadow to paint well.

Attributed, emphasizing the fundamental importance of these elements in his work.

The eye is the true judge of painting.

Attributed, emphasizing the subjective and personal experience of viewing art.

A painter should never be afraid to make mistakes.

Attributed, suggesting an experimental approach and a willingness to learn from errors.

The true artist is one who can express the inexpressible.

Attributed, highlighting his focus on conveying emotion and psychological depth.

I prefer to paint the old and the ugly, for they have more character.

Attributed, challenging the prevailing idealization of beauty in art.

A good painting is like a good book; it tells a story.

Attributed, emphasizing the narrative power of his art.

The greatest beauty is in truth.

Attributed, aligning with his realistic and unidealized approach to his subjects.

I do not seek to please, but to move.

Attributed, indicating his desire to evoke strong emotions in the viewer.

The brush is my sword, and the canvas my battlefield.

Attributed, conveying the intensity and dedication he brought to his art.

A painter should be a poet with a brush.

Attributed, highlighting the expressive and imaginative aspects of painting.

The true artist is a mirror of the soul.

Attributed, suggesting that art reveals deeper truths about humanity.

I am not afraid of darkness, for it reveals the light.

Attributed, a metaphor for his use of chiaroscuro and finding beauty in contrast.

Art is a language that speaks to all.

Attributed, highlighting the universal appeal and communicative power of art.

Contemporaries of Rembrandt van Rijn

Other Visual Artss born within 50 years of Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–1669).