Rembrandt by Kurt Pfister

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Rembrandt by Kurt Pfister

(4 User reviews) 577

By Gianna Alvarez Posted on Jan 12, 2026

In Category - Global Literature

Authors: Pfister, Kurt, 1895-1951 Published By : Pfister, Kurt, 1895-1951

Book Language: German

Hey, have you ever looked at a Rembrandt painting and wondered about the man behind the brush? This book isn't your typical dry art history lecture. Pfister pulls back the curtain on the 17th-century art world, showing us Rembrandt not as a timeless genius, but as a real person. We see a talented artist who fought with clients, made risky financial moves, and faced heartbreaking personal loss, all while creating work that changed art forever. It’s the story of how his messy, complicated life directly fueled the raw emotion in his paintings. If you think you know Rembrandt, this biography might just change your mind.

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unverändert; fremdsprachliche Ausdrücke wurden nicht korrigiert. Schreibvarianten, insbesondere bei Orts- und Personennamen, wurden nicht vereinheitlicht. Besondere Schriftschnitte werden im vorliegenden Text mit Hilfe der folgenden Symbole gekennzeichnet: kursiv: _Unterstriche_ gesperrt: +Pluszeichen+ #################################################################### KURT PFISTER/REMBRANDT [Illustration: Phot. F. Hanfstaengl, München Selbstbildnis 1669] REMBRANDT VON KURT PFISTER MIT 50 ABBILDUNGEN [Illustration] DELPHIN-VERLAG/MÜNCHEN Copyright 1919 by Delphin-Verlag, Dr. Richard Landauer, München Gedruckt von Emil Herrmann senior in Leipzig ABBILDUNGSVERZEICHNIS Abb. 1 Selbstbildnis 1669 (Grittleton House) B. 507. Titelbild „ 2 Die Judenbraut 1668 (Amsterdam, Reichsmuseum) B. 538. gegenüber S. 6 „ 3 Anatomie des Professor Tulp 1632 (Haag, Museum) B. 55. „ „ 7 „ 4 Die Staalmeesters 1661-1662 (Amsterdam, Reichsmuseum) B. 486. „ „ 16 „ 5 Saskia als Braut 1633 (Berliner Kupferstichkabinett) H. d. G. 99. „ „ 16 „ 6 Selbstbildnis Rembrandts mit seiner Gattin Saskia 1634 (Dresden, Gemäldegalerie) B. 157. „ „ 17 „ 7 Danae 1636 (St. Petersburg, Eremitage) B. 194. „ „ 17 „ 8 Saskia mit der roten Blume 1641 (Dresden, Gemäldegalerie) B. 264. „ „ 18 „ 9 Bildnis der Hendrickje Stoffels 1652 (Paris, Louvre) B. 350. „ „ 19 „ 10 Hendrickje Stoffels im Bett 1657 (Edinburg, Nationalgalerie) B. 43. „ „ 20 „ 11 Bildnis der Hendrickje Stoffels 1658-1659 (Berlin Kaiser Friedrich Museum) B. 437. „ „ 20 „ 12 Bildnis des Jan Six 1654 (Amsterdam, Galerie Six) B. 371. „ „ 21 „ 13 Rembrandts Bruder Adriaen 1650 (Haag, Museum) B. 355. „ „ 21 „ 14 Rembrandts Sohn Titus 1656 (Wien, Museum) B. 443. „ „ 22 „ 15 Familienbild 1668-1669 (Braunschweig, Museum) B. 539. „ „ 23 „ 16 Selbstbildnis 1634 (Berlin, Kaiser Friedrich Museum) B. 167. „ „ 24 „ 17 Selbstbildnis 1640 (London, Nationalgalerie) B. 256. „ „ 24 „ 18 Rembrandt zeichnend 1645. B. 22. „ „ 25 „ 19 Selbstbildnis 1660 (Paris, Louvre) B. 434. „ „ 26 „ 20 Selbstbildnis 1668 (Berlin, Frau v. Carstanjen) B. 506. „ „ 27 „ 21 Die Landschaft mit den Kühen zwischen 1635-1640 (Berliner Kupferstichkabinett) H. d. G. 164. „ „ 28 „ 22 Kanal mit Boot 1650 (Berliner Kupferstichkabinett) H. d. G. 180. „ „ 28 „ 23 Die Windmühle 1641. B. 233. „ „ 28 „ 24 Die Landschaft mit dem Turm 1648 B. 223. „ „ 29 „ 25 Die Landschaft mit dem Milchmann 1650 B. 213. „ „ 29 „ 26 Landschaft 1638 (Braunschweig, Museum) B. 231. „ „ 30 „ 27 Winterlandschaft 1646 (Kassel, Galerie) B. 341. „ „ 31 „ 28 Ein geschlachteter Ochse 1655 (Paris, Louvre) B. 421. „ „ 32 „ 29 Die Mühle 1650 (Bowood, Landsdowne) B. 345. „ „ 33 „ 30 David im Gebet 1652 B. 41. „ „ 36 „ 31 Der heilige Hieronymus im Gebet 1632 B. 101. „ „ 36 „ 32 Die heilige Familie (Frühzeit) B. 62. „ „ 36 „ 33 Der barmherzige Samariter 1648 (Paris, Louvre) B. 328. „ „ 37 „ 34 Christus in Emaus 1661 (Paris, Louvre) B. 519. „ „ 37 „ 35 Die heilige Familie im Zimmer 1654. B. 63. „ „ 40 „ 36 Die Kreuztragung (Frühzeit) H. d. G. 71. „ „ 40 „ 37 Christus treibt die Händler aus dem Tempel 1635 B. 69. „ „ 41 „ 38 Die heilige Familie 1646 (Kassel, Galerie) B. 252. „ „ 41 „ 39 Die Flucht nach Ägypten 1654 B. 55. „ „ 44 „ 40 Die Kreuzabnahme bei Fackelschein 1654 B. 83. „ „ 44 „ 41 Moses zerschmettert die Gesetzestafeln 1659 (Berlin, Kaiser Friedrich Museum) B. 409. „ „ 45 „ 42 Jakob ringt mit...

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Continue Reading Full Book

Kurt Pfister's biography takes us straight to the bustling streets of 17th-century Amsterdam. We meet a young Rembrandt van Rijn, full of ambition, as he arrives from Leiden to make his name. The book follows his incredible rise to fame, his revolutionary approach to painting light and shadow, and his popular workshop. But it also doesn't shy away from the harder parts: his stubborn fights with wealthy patrons who wanted conventional portraits, the tragic deaths of his wife and children, and the financial mismanagement that eventually led to his bankruptcy. The core of the story is this constant push-and-pull between Rembrandt's inner artistic vision and the harsh realities of the outside world.

Why You Should Read It

This book made Rembrandt feel real to me. Pfister connects the dots between the artist's life and his art in a way that’s really compelling. You start to see the grief in a late self-portrait or the defiance in a biblical scene not just as skill, but as a direct reflection of his experiences. It argues that Rembrandt's greatest strength was his willingness to be honest—in his life and on his canvas—even when it wasn't popular. It’s less about listing his masterpieces and more about understanding the cost of creating them.

Final Verdict

Perfect for anyone who loves a great human story, even if you’re not an art expert. If you enjoy biographies about complex, flawed people who changed their field, you’ll get a lot out of this. It’s also a fascinating look at how the art market worked (and sometimes didn't work) 400 years ago. A solid, engaging read that gives one of history's most famous artists a relatable heartbeat.

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