How does one tell a story with images? This was a question Rembrandt posed to himself throughout his long career. He turned to the great narratives of the Bible, Greco-Roman mythology, and European history for inspiration, but he never merely described a text. Rembrandt studied his sources then summoned the lives within the narratives, thus imagining and creating encounters for the viewer to feel as well as see. In Rembrandt’s paintings, one experiences the return of a dissolute child (The Prodigal Son), a decision with unthinkable choices (Bathsheba), the pride of victorious citizens (The Night Watch), the expectations of love (Danaë), and the horror of death (Descent from the Cross). Rembrandt takes us through an extraordinary journey of emotions in his work, and we are changed.

This talk will explore Rembrandt’s life and consider some of his most compelling images within the context of the Golden Age of Dutch Baroque painting.