Smith, John: A catalogue raisonné of the works of the most eminent Dutch, Flemish, and French painters: in which is included a short biographical notice of the artists, with a copious description of their principal pictures : a statement of the prices at which such pictures have been sold at public sales on the continent and in England; a reference the the galleries and private collections in which a large portion are at present; and the names of the artists by whom they have been engraved; to which is added, a brief notice of the scholars & imitators of the great masters of the above schools (Part 7) (London: Smith and Son, 1836)

REMBRANDT VAN RHYN.

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named Herman Gerritze Van Rhyn, and of Neeltje
Willems Van Zuitbroek; and, according to the best
received authority (Houbraken), was born on the 15th
of December, 1606, at his father’s mill, situate in the
vicinity of the Rhine, between Leyderdorp and Kouker-
gen, and not far distant from Leyden. His education
appears to have been in accordance with the sphere of
life in which his parents moved, and nothing more*; for
had it been commensurate with his profession, it would
probably have raised him above those associations in
humble life, to which early habits made him ever after
retain such an unconquerable predilection. It is indeed
said, that his parents placed him in a school at Leyden,
with the intention of giving him a classical education;
but if they did make such an attempt, on discovering
the genius of their son, it was probably at a period
when a predominating inclination for the art had taken
possession of his mind, and rendered him unfit for
academical pursuits. Whatever the intention of the
parents may have been, they evidently gave way to
the ruling passion of their son, and therefore sought
the earliest and best means of forwarding his wishes.
With this view they placed him under the care of
Jacob Van Zwaanenburgf, a painter of very mediocre
abilities, and whose chief reputation is that of having
been the first instructor of Rembrandt. Under this
obscure individual he acquired the rudiments of the art,
* Both the style of his letters, and the prevailing character
of his historical pictures, show the nature and extent of his
education.
•f No notice of this painter is taken by biographers.