My novel is based on two main themes: Rembrandt being in love with his painting, and the three women in his life: Rembrandt in love with paint! All these were used by his particular genius. Finally that ability became stronger than everything else: his painting did not hurt him; unlike human events that did.

A commercial as well as metaphysical artist, this fine painter managed to transform personal experience into magnificent works of art. Those passions deepened his perception and kept his balance. He was perfectly aware of his ability but was still a country miller's son; close to earth. Any philosophical ideas he might have had made him even more humble. How could he be otherwise, trying to understand the spiritual more than medical reasons for all those deaths in the family?

Yet there was obviously fun, passion in love and robustness until disaster finally took him to drown his confusion in drink. His life was a complete experience that made him the most intuitive and humane artist who ever lived.
 

 

"Rembrandt had always known his life would be filled with deepest shadow as well as blinding light: he was constantly aware of sorrow as well as joy. Often they followed each other like a dog in the footsteps of its master whose shadow trailed him without his asking. It was a friend but also something trying to encroach, even overwhelm. Most of all he needed a blank canvas, some brushes and paint, his beloved Bible, and his own face.

'The strange thing is that although I'm carefully observing every nuance in my face, the eyes in this portrait keep looking at me. Not only do they stare whenever I bend down to fill my brush but those eyes follow me, and won't leave me alone. I glare back at them accusingly. It is as if they are saying, 'There, we've caught you again. You can't get rid of us, we can see right inside you, and what's more we know what you're thinking!' But I'm not thinking of anything other than tone values and light flooding over my cheek bones.' "