A great artist & scoundrel, too.

Rembrandt. I learned some things about him yesterday. Because I went to an exhibit of his paintings. With my Italian true love. Never paid much attention to Rembrandt before. Now I'm taking heed of Rembrandt. An indication that my true love has a positive effect on me. On what I do. On what I learn. Wouldn't have gone to the exhibit on my own. Needed prodding. For which I am grateful. Because I like to discover things. I am mostly curious. But also, I can be a bit lazy. I procrastinate. Anyway, Rembrandt specialized in portraits. And he tutored students. Taught them his painting techniques. Some students painted very much like Rembrandt. And he sometimes put his own name/signature on their works. And he'd sell the paintings and pocket the proceeds. A true blue capitalist. My true love confirms that Rembrandt was greedy. Out to make a buck, or whatever the currency was in the 1600s in Amsterdam. It wasn't strictly art for art's sake. Some of the paintings at the exhibit (at the Art Institute in Minneapolis) may have been works of other artists. Art moreorless stolen from other artists. Art experts continue to question the authenticity of some art long-proclaimed as being Rembrandt's. No doubt about it, Rembrandt was a great artist. But maybe a scoundrel, too. --Jim Broede