THE TRACKS OF REMBRANDT If Van Gogh painted with emotions, then Rembrandt created with his soul. His light doesn’t only shine from the fac- es he painted, but from the inner world of those people. And nowhere does that light shine more brightly than in Am- sterdam, the city that represented his home, sanctuary and source of inspira- tion for almost his entire life. Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn was born in 1606 in Leiden, a university town that’s known for its serene canals and the smell of parchment. His birth town still preserves his memory through the Museum De Lakenhal, which exhib- its his early works and portraits that he created while still searching for his own unique expression. There you can see his first experiments with contrast - that in- terplay of light and dark that would go on to become his trademark. The real stage of Rembrandt’s life was nonetheless Amsterdam. When he ar- rived in the city in 1631, it was reaching its peak as a commercial hub of Europe, packed with members of the nouveau riche who desired to immortalise their status through portraits. And Rem- brandt became their chronicler, as an artist who knew how to find a story in every face. You can enter that almost un- changed world of the 17th century to- day at the city’s Rembrandt House (Rem- brandthuis). Located in Jodenbreestraat (Jewish Broad Street), the house where he spent almost 20 years living and working has been transformed into a museum that reveals details of his daily life – from the studio flooded with natu- ral light to the room where he created his etchings. Lining the walls are reproduc- tions of his famous portraits and prints, while the smell of oil paints, wood and wax give the impression that he could appear at any moment, wearing his painter’s coat, palette in hand. This house is where his most famous works were created, but also where he experienced his greatest sorrows. It was there that he lost his wife, Saskia, and his son. Some of his darkest yet most beautiful self-portraits were created there – because Rembrandt painted him-
self when there was no one else around. His face, mature and tired, but dignified, testifies to him being an artist who nev- er stopped seeking the truth that lies in the eyes. If you want to see the full glory of his ge- nius, head to the Rijksmuseum and en- joy his famous painting The Night Watch – a monumental canvas that continues to leave observers breathless a full three and a half centuries later. Rembrandt re- alised this commissioned military por- trait as a drama of light and movement, creating a scene that pulsates with life, while the characters appear ready to burst from the frame at any moment. You can also see works of other masters of the Dutch Golden Age at the Rijksmu- seum, which is the country’s national museum – representing the largest and most important museum in the Neth- erlands. Located at the very heart of the city, in the museum district, you will be equally amazed by the building’s exteri- or, due both to its colossal size and clas- sic Dutch architecture.
Amsterdam also preserves Rembrandt’s memory in other places. There is Rem- brandtplein, a city square that boasts a bronze statue of the man himself, ac- companied by replicas of the soldiers de- picted in The Night Watch. That scene seems almost surreal in the evening hours, shrouded in silence and under the glow of streetlights. And despite him be- ing one of the world’s greatest artists, he died in poverty in 1669 and was bur- ied in an unmarked pauper’s grave in the yard of Westerkerk, the western church, near the house where he once lived. But his light has never gone out and has con- tinued to shine throughout the centuries from the genius contained in his works. Following Rembrandt’s tracks isn’t just about touring galleries, but also travers- ing the depth of human nature. His paintings teach us that sadness can be beautiful, that mistakes can be noble and that light comes from darkness. In a country where rain is seemingly always brewing in the sky, Rembrandt found sunshine – in the people.
Uđite u gotovo nepromenjeni svet 17. veka u Rembrantovoj amsterdamskoj kući Enter that almost unchanged world of the 17 th century at Amsterdam’s Rembrandt House
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