More than any other artist, the painter Rembrandt developed charisma through the outstanding quality and originality of his works and the organization of his workshop. His pupils and successors continued his style as the Rembrandt brand with an appeal that has remained unbroken to this day. This book poses the question: Why did Rembrandt's art both affect contemporary painters and attract generations of collectors and present-day viewers?

This magnificent volume examines the great master's remarkable talent for portraying emotions and passions, his sketch-like openness, and his focus on essentials. Further, it explores his ability to pass on the particular features of his painting style while at the same time encouraging the artistic individuality of his pupils. Through some 120 paintings, drawings, and etchings by Rembrandt and his pupils, this book affords fascinating insights into Dutch painting in the seventeenth century.