works, weapons, and armor. Unfortunately, the results of the auction, including the sale of his house, were disappointing. These problems in no way affected Rembrandt's work; if anything, his artistry increased. His personal life, however, continued to be marred by sorrow. His beloved Hendrickje died in 1663, and his son, Titus, in 1668, only 27 years of age. Eleven months later, on October 4, 1669, Rembrandt died in Amsterdam.Rembrandts development can be divided into four basic periods: the Leiden Period, the first Amsterdam Period, the Middle Period, and the Mature Period. Rembrandt was influenced and inspired by many different artists, from great Italian masters of the past, to his second teacher Pieter Lastman. (Rosenberg, Jakob., Seymour Slive., E. H. Ter Kuile. " Rembrandt Van Rijn." Dutch Art and Architecture 1600 to 1800. Baltimore, MA: Penguin Books, 1966. 48-81)Although Rembrandt never traveled to Italy, one of the largest influences on Rembrandt was Italian art. One Italian master that had a definite impact on Rembrandt was Tintoretto, this influence being most clearly seen in Rembrandts use of chiaroscuro in his works. In Italy, the ancestry of Rembrandts method of treating light and shade can, be traced back as far as Tintoretto. Tintorettos greatest gift to art, above all others, was his method of using light and dark masses, one standing out against the other, in alternating succession of silhouettes. Take for instance Tintorrettos the Adoration of the Shepherds, a scene of indescribable magic and haunting effect of chiaroscuro, the light penetrating the stable through the roof, and the design being built on contrasting silhouettes. Added to the treatment of light and shade, the homely realism of the figures, and the setting, make us feel that we are here getting very near to Rembrandt. If we look at the work of Rembrandt, there is no lack of examples in which the distance from Tintoretto is very small. Suc...
