The Rembrandt Syndrome Quotes

1630 - 1640 version in original Dutch (origineel citaat van Rembrandt, in Nederlands): Een vroom gemoet / Acht eer voor goet - Rembrandt, Amsterdam 1634

1630 - 1640 * Quote in Rembrandt's letter to ] (Amsterdam, 12 January 1639) on 3 paintings commissioned (in 1635 and started by Rembrandt already in 1635/36) by the imperial court, as cited in Painters on Painting (1963) by Eric Protter, p. 78 / Dutch original text in The Rembrandt Documents, Walter Strauss & Marjon van der Meulen - Abaris Books, New York 1979, p. 161.

1640 - 1670 Try to put well in practice what you already know; and in so doing, you will in good time, discover the hidden things which you now inquire about. Practice what you know, and it will help to make clear what now you do not know. By following carefully the rules of teachings provided that they are truthful, you can save a lot of time. But a student full of doubt is unable to move forwards and to judge well the truth.

1630 - 1640 A pious mind / Places honor above wealth - Rembrandt, Amsterdam 1634

1640 - 1670 version in original Dutch (origineel citaat van Rembrandt, in Nederlands): Schikt u daer nae, dat gy t geene gy alreets weet, wel leert in t werk stellen, zoo zult gy de verborgentheden, daer gy nu na vraegt, tijts genoeg ontdekt zien...

1630 - 1640 This is portrayed after my wife when she was 21 years old, the third day after we were betrothed, on the 8th of June 1633

1630 - 1640 * Rembrandt emphasizes here the urge for a place with bright light, necessary to view his painting well. Not certain is which painting by Rembrandt is meant here.

1640 - 1670 * Dresden museum, Kupferstichkabinett - author: Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn - Object: The Rest on the Flight into Egypt', Inventory number: C 1443

1640 - 1670 * Quote of Rembrandt, recorded by his pupil ], 1678 ; as cited by W.Gs Hellinga, Rembrandt fecit 1642: de Nachtwacht, Gysbrecht van Aemstel', J.M. Meulenhoff, Amsterdam 1956, p. 4 (translation from the original Dutch: Anne Porcelijn)

1630 - 1640 * Rembrandt's inscription under a drawing of his wife Saskia, 1633; as cited in Rembrandt: The Painter at Work, by ], Amsterdam University Press, 1997, p. 47 (translation from the original Dutch: Anne Porcelijn)

1630 - 1640 * Quote from Rembrandt's 5th letter to ] (Amsterdam, 27 January 1639), as cited in The Rembrandt Documents, Walter Strauss & Marjon van der Meulen - Abaris Books, New York 1979, p. 167.

1630 - 1640 Because of the great zeal and devotion which I experienced in executing well the two pictures which His Highness commissioned me to make - the one being ]'s dead body being laid in the tomb ], and the other Christ arising from the dead to the consternation of the guards — these same two pictures are now finished through studious application, so that I am now disposed to deliver the same and so to afford to His Highness. For in these two paintings the greatest and most natural movement has been expressed , which is also the main reason why they have taken so long to execute.

1630 - 1640 version in original Dutch (origineel citaat van Rembrandt, in Nederlands): ..soo ist door geneegentheijt tot sulx tegens mijns/ heeren begeeren dees bijgaenden douck toesenden / hoopende dat u mijner in deesen niet versmaeden/ sult want het is die eersten gedachtenis/ die ick aen mijn heer laet./.. ..: Mijn heer hangt dit stuck op een starck licht en dat men daer wuijt ken afstaen soo salt best voncken.

1630 - 1640 My Sir: Let me first offer my kind regards. I agree that I should come soon to see how the picture accords with the rest. As regards the price, I certainly deserve 200 pounds for it, but shall be content with whatever His Excellency pays me. And if you, Sir, do not deem it presumptuous, I shall not neglect to requite the favor. Your humble and devoted servant Rembrandt - It will show to best advantage in His Excellency's gallery, since there it will be in bright light.

1640 - 1670 Quote in original Dutch (citaat van Rembrandt in Nederlands):Beeter waert dat (om de veranderin)den eesel van achteren was / dan dat al dehoofden iuist wt het stuck siendat oock omtrent die boom wat meerdergroente was1 iosep heft alte swaer en te onbesuist2 maria most het kindeken wat meerder vierenwant een teeder kint magh sulck duwen niet veiosep alte kort en dick / syn hooft wast hem wt de sij hebben alle beide al te groote koppen

1630 - 1640 * What Rembrandt is referring to in his phrase "I cannot refrain from presenting you, Sir, my latest work." is very probably one or more recent etchings, Rembrandt made.

1630 - 1640 * this short quote is written at the bottom in a portrait - a drawing of his future wife ], Rembrandt did in silver-point on prepared vellum

1630 - 1640 * Letter to ] (Amsterdam, after Feb. 1636)

1640 - 1670 * Rembrandt's comments on his drawing of The Rest on the Flight into Egypt', as remembered by his former pupil ] c. 1643 (translation from the original Dutch: Anne Porcelijn)

1630 - 1640 version in original Dutch (origineel citaat van Rembrandt, in Nederlands): ..dat ick seer naerstich / doende ben met die drie passij stucken voorts / met bequameheijt aftemaeken die sijn excellencij / my selfs heeft geordijneert, een grafleg ende een Verrijsenis en een Hemelvaert / Chrisstij. / De selvijge ackoordeeren met / opdoening en afdoeningen vant Chruijs Chrisstij. / Van welken drie voornomden / stuckens een van opgemaekt is daer / Chrisstus ten Heemel opvaert ende / die ander twee ruym half gedaen sijn.. ..En ken oock niet naerlaeten volgens mijn dienstwillijgen / gunst mijn heer te vereeren van mijn jonsten / werck vertrouwenden dat mij ten bessten sal / afgenoomen werder neffens mijne groeteenissen.. .. niuwe doelstraet , Feb. 1636

1630 - 1640 * What Rembrandt is referring to is a little painting he sent Huygens as a gift together with his letter. This quote clarifies Rembrandt's option about the light and distance, necessary for showing his painting and its colors in the right way.

1640 - 1670 * English text; as cited in A Dictionary of Thoughts: Being a Cyclopedia of Laconic Quotations from the Best Authors of the World, both Ancient and Modern (1908) by ], p. 131.; second part, transl. by F. Heijnsbroek

1630 - 1640 I have read your pleasant letter of 14th with singular pleasure. I discern your kind inclination and affection which I feel deeply obliged to requite with service and friendship. Because of inclination to do this, in spite of your wish (of Constantijn Huygens], am sending along a painting, hoping that you will accept it, because it is the first momento which I offer you, Sir.. ..postscripttum]: My Sir: hang this picture in a bright light and in such a manner that it can be viewed from a distance. It will then sparkle at its best.

1630 - 1640 ..that I am very diligently engaged in proficiently completing the three Passion paintings which his Excellency has personally commissioned me : an Entombment , a Resurrection, and an Ascension of Christ.. .Of the above three, one has been completed, namely Christ's Ascension to Heaven, and the other two are more than half-finished.. ..as a token of my readiness to serve you with my favor, I cannot refrain from presenting you, Sir, my latest work. I trust that you most graciously will accept it in addition to my greetings.. ..reside Nieuwe Doelstraat , Feb. 1636

1630 - 1640 Quote in original Dutch (citaat van Rembrandt in Nederlands): Dit is naer mijn huijsvrou geconterfeit do si 21 jaer oud was, den derden dach als wij getroudt waeren, den 8 junijus 1633

1630 - 1640 version in original Dutch (origineel citaat van Rembrandt, in Nederlands): Door die grooten lust ende geneegenheijt die ick gepleecght hebbe int wel wtvoeren van die twe/ stuckens die sijn Hoocheijt mijn heeft doen maeken weesende het een daer dat doode lichaem Chrisstij/ in den graeve gelecht werd ende dat ander/ daer Chrisstus van den doode opstaet dat met/ grooten verschrickinge des wachters. Dees selvij/ twe stuckens sijn door stuijdiose vlijt nu meede/ afgedaen soodat ick nu oock geneegen ben om die/ selvijge te leeveren om sijn Hoocheijt daer meede/ te vermaeken want deesen twe sijnt daer die meeste/ ende die naetuereelste beweechgelickheijt . in/ geopserveert is dat oock de grooste oorsaeck is dat/ die selvijge soo lang onder handen sij geweest. - in margin: deessen 12 Januwarij 1639, Mijn heer ik woon op die binnenemster, thuijs is genaemt die suijckerbackerrij .

1630 - 1640 * What Rembrandt meant in his phrase "die meeste ende di naetuereelste beweechgelickheijt" has been the subject of dispute. Variant translations have been proposed:

1630 - 1640 * in a letter to ] (Amsterdam, February 1636) on a Passion Cycle of 3 paintings, commissioned already in 1635 by the imperial court, as quoted in The Rembrandt Documents, Walter Strauss & Marjon van der Meulen - Abaris Books, New York 1979, p. 129

1640 - 1670 For some variation it would be betterto place the donkey seen from behind all faces looking out of the picture And the tree could also have more foliage.1. ] has been portrayed too fat and too recklessly2. ] should hold the child more gentlybecause a vulnerable child can't stand being held so firmlyJoseph is too short fat - his head is growing from his trunkand both their heads are too big

1630 - 1640 * Quote of Rembrandt's, from his short poem, 1634; on his own drawing of a lord with beard, very probably representing the court-master Burchard Grossmann in his ] (translation from the original Dutch: Anne Porcelijn)