Rembrandt van Rijn

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn was born in Leiden, in the Dutch Republic, the son of a miller. He studied briefly at the university, then trained as a painter, including six months with Pieter Lastman in Amsterdam. Around 1631 he moved to Amsterdam, where he became the city's most sought-after portrait painter. He painted Bible scenes and portraits with dramatic contrasts of light and darkness, and made hundreds of etchings and drawings. In 1642 he completed the large group portrait of a militia company now called The Night Watch, which shows the men in action rather than in neat rows. That same year Saskia died, leaving him with their infant son Titus. He spent beyond his means on a large house and on collecting art, and in 1656 he was forced into bankruptcy and had to sell his house and possessions. He kept working, and his late paintings, such as The Return of the Prodigal Son, are especially admired. Over his life he painted, drew and etched nearly a hundred self-portraits. Titus died in 1668, and Rembrandt died in Amsterdam the next year.

Faith: His mother was Catholic and his father Dutch Reformed; religion is a central theme of his art, but his own faith is debated. Source: Wikipedia