Rembrandt van Rijn was one of the most renowned painters and printmakers of the Baroque period of art. Born in Leiden, Netherlands, on July 15th of 1606, Rembrandt was the youngest son of at least ten children to a miller, Harmen Gerritsz van Rijn, and his wife, Neeltgen van Zuytbrouck. Being one of many children, Rembrandt was not expected to carry on the family business and thus went to school at the Leiden Latin School for seven years. Following, he was briefly enrolled in the University of Leiden before he dropped out in order to study the fundamentals of painting under local artist, Jacob Isaacsz van Swanenburgh. After several years, Rembrandt began to build the reputation he would come to be known for through to the present. Rembrandt's personal life, although including tremendous success, had much public turmoil. In 1634 Rembrandt married Saskia, the daughter of a wealthy and prominent Frisian family. After she died in 1642 of a long illness, Rembrandt had two other "companions" whom he never married due to a clause in Saskia's will that required him to part with some of the assets he had gained from her death to their son, in the case of him remarrying. Biographers note that there seems to have been very little going for Rembrandt in the latter years of his life (Wheelock). On October 4th, 1669, Rembrandt was buried in a rented grave which disappeared long ago in Westerkerk, Amsterdam.
Rembrandt and his work, Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, are members of the Baroque period. The Baroque period is characterized by its vivid emotion, energy, and movement which can be seen on full display in this painting. Colors are more vivid in this period than that of the Renaissance. There is a greater contrast between light and dark. Some suggest that Baroque is even theatrical to an extent (Getlein). Some Baroque artists included Francesco Borromini, Gianlorenzo Bernini, Artemisia Gentileschi, and Caravaggio. It is significant to note that by the end of the Baroque period the domination of religious art, so greatly celebrated during the Renaissance, had ended and succumbed to greater secularization (Getlein).
With Rembrandt being one of the most well-known artists of the Baroque period, critics have been discussing his work for centuries. Critics like to suggest that Rembrandt had somewhat of two styles, an early style and a late style. The work, Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee is representative of his early style which was characterized by detail, variety, relatively polished brushwork, and bright coloring (Zell). Critics of the 18th century, such as Arnold Houbraken often preferred this early style in contrast to Rembrandt's later style which was broader and less descriptive (Zell). Regardless of critics' preference of style, it is widely agreed that Rembrandt classifies as one of the few artists who can be considered among the greatest of the great (Getlein).
Rembrandt's work, Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, powerfully displays one of many moments in which the faith of Jesus' disciples is challenged. One critic wrote that the power of this particular piece of Rembrandt's work was behind the "big, dramatic effects, particularly the elemental contrasts that give his design its metaphorical force: bright light and explosive water set against the shadow in which the disciples, frightened and doubting, appeal to Christ" (Walsh 44). Another source comments on the metaphorical theme of the painting, "Nature's upheaval is both cause and metaphor for the terror that grips the disciples, magnifying the emotional turbulence and thus the image's dramatic impact" (Isabella Museum). When looking at the painting, one can almost hear the disciples pleading with Jesus in Mark 4:38, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" The vivid scene painted by Rembrandt really reaches out to me through its dramatic, explosive, and contrasting lighting. It encourages my imagination to jump into what is going on within the picture-to become one of the disciples for a moment as they are thrashed around by the raging sea while Jesus sleeps. Because of the dynamics in his art, Rembrandt is one of my favorite artists and truly resounds with me. I hope that you too have an appreciation for this great artist and his amazing work!
Works Cited
Getlein, M. (2016). Living with Art (11th ed.). New York City, NY: McGraw Hill Education.
The Holy Bible: New International Version. Zondervan Bible Publishers, 1983.
Walsh, J. "Observations on Rembrandt's 'Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee.'" Source: Notes in the History of Art, vol. 5, no. 1, 1985, pp. 44-52. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/23202263.
Wheelock, A. "Rembrandt van Rijn." Source: NGA Online Editions, purl.org/nga/collection/constituent/1822 (accessed September 10, 2018).
Zell, M. "Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee," Source: Eye of the Beholder, edited by Alan Chong et al. Boston: ISGM and Beacon Press, 2003.