Rembrandt’s Debut in Amsterdam

When he was still in his early 20s, Rembrandt closed his studio in Leiden, the Netherlands, and moved to the expanding metropolis of Amsterdam, where he quickly became the most sought-after painter in the city. His employers included many influential people, including the Prince of Orange, who commissioned biblical pictures from him. Focusing on the Portrait of Aeltje Uylenburgh (1632), John Walsh, B.A. 1961, Director Emeritus of the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, considers the artist’s early career and the reasons for his success. Generously sponsored by the Martin A. Ryerson Fund.