The Life of Rembrandt van Rijn Born on 15 July 1606 in Leiden, in the Dutch Republic, Rembrandt van Rijn entered a world of modest means. He was the ninth child born to Harmen Gerritszoon van Rijn and Neeltgen Willemsdochter van Zuijtbrouck. His life was one of immense productivity, spanning many decades of creative output. By the time he died on 4 October 1669, he had left behind a vast legacy that includes about 300 paintings, 300 etchings, and several hundred drawings. As a painter, printmaker, and draughtsman, he became a central figure of the Dutch Golden Age. His work was not limited…