Celebrity Graveland

July 15, 1606 – October 04, 1669

Perhaps the most prolific and famous visual artist of all-time, Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn was a leading talent in the already-packed-with-talent, era known as the Dutch Golden Age. Throughout the prosperous 17th Century, the Dutch masters perfected a painting style which moved away from the religious subjects of previous generations in lieu of more common, everyday people and daily life. The fact that they were able to capture the nuance of light so well only added to the lasting appeal. Dozens of painters became famous for their works: Vermeer, Steen, Cuyp, legends all. But, none reached the heights of the man who is simply remembered by one name: Rembrandt.
The name Rembrandt alone immediately conjures thoughts of painting.  “You’re a regular Rembrandt,” one might say to a talented young artist. His impact was immeasurable. With over 600 paintings to his credit, his work was destined to endure. Working primarily as a portrait artist and printmaker, Rembrandt made a decent living in northern Holland. He also taught and mentored younger artists. Despite his professional success, he was not great with money (he was a bit TOO avid of an art collector) and spent much of his later life in financial doldrums.

In his personal life, Rembrandt was married and had 4 children, only one of which survived to adulthood. After the loss of his wife, he maintained a few long-term relationships, but never remarried. He outlived his immediate family and died at the age of 63 in Amsterdam. In life, he never set foot outside of the Netherlands, but today, his art is present in major museums all over the world. He is routinely celebrated as one of the finest painters of all time. A true master.

Burial

Westerkerk – Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS

Specific Location

Unknown. Rembrandt’s remains were lost as he was originally buried in a rented grave below the church. Records of the exact plot and confirmation of his remains’ whereabouts are not known to exist. But, as the plaque in the nave suggests, he’s there somewhere.

This entry was posted on January 22, 2024 at 9:48 am and is filed under Westerkerk with tags Painters, Westerkerk. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.