Rembrandt: 2his Life, His Paintings

Did Rembrandt's nasty disposition, tactlessness and underhanded dealings sabotage his career? That is the extreme conclusion of Schwartz, who has sifted through thousands of source documents in Amsterdam archives to produce this monumental study. We see an embittered genius, unable or unwilling to win the protection of clan leaders that was essential to advancement. In nearly 40 years at the Amsterdam court, Rembrandt never painted a burgomaster. By painstakingly piecing together the painter's connections with dealers, customers and friends, Schwartz shows that Rembrandt was dependent on a group of patrons that remained fairly fixed. From commercial success as a facile ""face-painter,'' the Dutch master was driven to create his individual style. But as the interpreter of set cultural and religious ideals for his patrons, his artistic scope was more limited than most scholars assume, according to Schwartz. Part biography, part catalogue, this attractive volume claims to be the first to present color reproductions of all Rembrandt's paintings, except for those few squirreled away by private collectors. Indispensable for the serious student of Rembrandt. December