The Shell (Conus Marmoreus), 1650

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (15 July 1606- 4 October 1669) was born in Leiden in the Netherlands. He started studying at university but after just a few months he left and began an apprenticeship as a painter. Rembrandt moved to Amsterdam in 1631 and quickly made a name for himself. Unlike most Dutch 17th century masters, Rembrandt’s works depicted a wide range of subject matter from portraits to landscapes to mythological interpretations. Although he did not gain world-wide fame during his lifetime, mainly as a result of financial complications, Rembrandt is now considered as one of the greatest visual artists in history.