Rembrandt's intriguing painting technique stirred the imaginations of art lovers during his lifetime and has done so ever since. In this book, now revised, updated, and with a new foreword by the author, Rembrandt's pictorial intentions and the variety of materials and techniques he applied to create his fascinating effects are unraveled in depth. At the same time, this "archaeology" of Rembrandt's paintings yields information on many other levels and offers a view of Rembrandt's daily practice and artistic considerations while simultaneously providing a more dimensional image of the artist.

Copub: Amsterdam University Press

Ernst van de Wetering is Professor Emeritus of Art History at the University of Amsterdam. He has published extensively on Rembrandt and historical painting techniques, as well as in the field of theory and ethics of conservation and restoration.

“Art lovers from genuine aficionados to weekend museum-goers will find plenty to attract them in this updated reprint.”—History Wire

"This is a very rich book, a deeply felt analysis of an artist whom the author knows better than almost any living scholar."—Times Literary Supplement

"This book is—if one may be allowed to say such a thing about a serious scholarly work—a gripping good read."—Burlington Magazine

“Ernst van de Wetering's wonderful book has taken us further than almost any study over the past twenty years, towards an understanding of the machinery of Rembrandt's genius. No one attempting to write about Rembrandt in the future will be able to do so without taking this fine work into account.”—Simon Schama

"Who would not have wanted to look over Rembrandt's shoulder while he painted? Among the countless books on Rembrandt, that by Ernst van de Weterring comes closest to conveying something of this experience because the author combines the qualifications of a trained connoisseur and of a practising painter."—Ernst Gombrich

College Art Association/Heritage Preservation Award for Distinction in Scholarship and Conservation, College Art Association