Rembrandt Biography: Late Years

Rembrandt’s lifestyle of spending money as he got it, and in some cases, money he didn’t have, caught up with him.  Adding to his financial difficulties was an economic slowdown due to the Anglo-Dutch war of 1652-1654.  He eventually had to declare bankruptcy in 1956 and the court sold off many of his paintings and collectables which included ancient sculpture, Italian Renaissance paintings, Eastern art, and Dutch weaponry and armor. To Rembrandt’s dismay, the painting-filled auction was a disappointing failure.  He sold his house and moved to a more modest home on the Rozengracht. 

Rembrandt continued to paint self-portraits and Biblical scenes which he now painted more as portraits.  He used lively brushstrokes and a new lighting technique.  The commissions Rembrandt received in his later years were not all well received.  Many Dutch patrons were turning their sites to more Classicistic paintings while Rembrandt was moving in a different direction with bold colors and reflective subjects.  Some of Rembrandt’s masterpieces during this time include Bathsheba (1654), Jacob Blessing the Sons of Joseph (1656), The Syndics of the Cloth Guild (1661) and The Jewish Bride (1665).

Unfortunately, his life went downhill from any up-rise of painting success, Hendrickje died in 1663, and his 27 year-old son, Titus, in 1668. Eleven months later, on October 4th, 1669, Rembrandt died in Amsterdam and was buried in an unmarked grave.