Friends and family: Rembrandt's social network

An old friend of Rembrandt's, Lievens captured the painter known for his impressive self-portraiture. The two artists, friends since childhood, shared a studio in Amsterdam until 1631, when Lievens began to travel for his career. Rembrandt, in contrast, never went abroad, although he is said to have been inspired by the Italian masters

A growing middle class made portraiture a dominant style of the era, as their wealth and desire to be documented led to the commissions that supported artists. Rembrandt often used his brush to capture the likeness of family members, including his wife Saskia Uylenburgh. Her family made up a large part of his social and financial life.

With marketing done mainly via word of mouth, Rembrandt had to rely on friends and collectors to drum up interest in his talent. It must have been his friend, the collector Jan Six, who led to this commission featuring the well-known physician, Arnold Tholinx. Six's brother-in-law, Tholinx was the focus of other works by Rembrandt, including a sketch that is part of the Rijksmuseum's collection.

Hendrickje Stoffels moved in with the artist after the death of his wife, Saskia. After Rembrandt lost his house due to debts in 1658, his son, Titus, and Hendrickje banded together to sell the artist's paintings, a move that kept debt collectors at bay. Unable to marry Hendrickje without losing the inheritance Saskia left him, the couple simply lived together until her death in 1663.

While his son, Titus, seen here at 19, worked for his father throughout his life. It wasn’t until Rembrandt went bankrupt in 1656 that Titus, together with Hendrickje Stoffels, started a gallery of the artist's work to pay off creditors. The painting, on loan for the first time for an exhibition in Europe, reflects Rembrandt's approach to portraying family and friends: informal, personal, relaxed.