Rembrandt by Rembrandt: The Self-Portraits

Rembrandt's revealing self-portraits in an appealing, affordable format

Celebrated as the supreme painter of the human condition, RembrandtHarmenszoon van Rijn (1606-1669) famously turned the intense spotlightof his empathetic vision on himself. In the course of 60 years, heproduced more than 50 self-portraits, in mediums ranging from paintingsto drawings to engravings. Rembrandt stood at the beginning of a longtradition of self-portraiture-one that has given us both Cindy Shermanin the high arts, and selfies as the primary form of visualself-expression in everyday life-and he explored its potential in athoroughly modern way. He portrayed the face he turned to the world,from youth to old age: a dandy, a husband, an artist, a solitary genius,among many other characters. He captured inner states that areuniversal to existence. Rembrandt by Rembrandt reproducesRembrandt's self-portraits, with commentary about each one, in anappealing portable format that makes a perfect gift for any art lover.