Rembrandt van Rijn
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 good painting is like a good friend—always revealing new depths.
I owe my success to endless study.
The human form is the greatest mystery.
Critics are like shadows—always behind you.
Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth.
Brushstrokes are the pulse of emotion.
In darkness, I find my light.
Nature is the true teacher.
Portraits live beyond the grave.
The eye must see what the heart knows.
Painters are poets with brushes.
Time heals, but art preserves.
Expression is the soul's mirror.
I paint to understand myself.
Rivals envy, but mastery endures.
The canvas is my confessional.
Light and shadow dance in harmony.
Legacy is etched in pigment.
The artist's life is one of quiet rebellion.
Details whisper, the whole shouts.
Contemporaries of Rembrandt van Rijn
Other Visual Artss born within 50 years of Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–1669).