The Saber and Scroll Journal Volume 8, Number 2, Winter 2019 | Page 19

and Scroll painter Karel van Mander (1548-1606), in his book, argued that the only worthwhile art is based on mythological, classical, and allegorical scenes, categorized as “history painting.” Anything else was beneath an artist’s dignity. Portraiture, though esteemed—depending upon the subject of the portrait—was deemed less prestigious, mainly due to the need to flatter the patron. Paintings of streets, shops, humorous subjects, and similar genre scenes were another level down. Landscapes and still life scenes occupied the lowest category of all. In the seventeenth century, an artist was judged by his patrons; to be a history painter could bring artists the patronage of nobility or even royalty, which in turn would give them enormous prestige and the possibility of earning a good living. Rembrandt had the talent for this. Further, he acted on the ambition and pride that his parents and teachers seemed to have instilled in him from childhood. Most artists became proficient in only one skill and concentrated on a particular type of imagery, such as portraits or landscapes. Rembrandt proved able to do most anything. Artistically, he found great inspiration in the work of the Italian painter Caravaggio (1571-1610) and the Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640). Italian Renaissance painters popularized the highly rendered play of light and dark, called chiaroscuro, which became a fad in the Netherlands. Rembrandt carried this use of dramatic light much further, as he mastered both painting skills and the art of etching. Moreover, he pioneered the combination of genres, creating the notion of not just a history painter, but