Rembrandt's Masterpieces: A Survey of Ten Iconic Paintings

publication · 2026-06-12

A survey of ten key paintings by Rembrandt van Rijn highlights his mastery across genres. Self Portrait at the Age of 34 (1640, National Gallery, London) shows him in anachronistic 1520s attire, aligning himself with Renaissance masters. The Abduction of Europa (1632, J. Paul Getty Museum) depicts a rare mythological scene from Ovid, with a possible Amsterdam allusion. The Storm on the Sea of Galilee (1633, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum), his only seascape, was stolen in 1990 and remains missing. The Night Watch (1642, Rijksmuseum), a civic guard commission, is famed for its scale and tenebrism. The Jewish Bride (1665-1669, Rijksmuseum) likely portrays Isaac and Rebecca. Saskia van Uylenburgh as Flora (1634, Hermitage Museum) honors his wife. The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp (1632, Mauritshuis) was his first major Amsterdam commission. Danaë (1636, Hermitage) was reworked in the 1640s and vandalized in 1985. The Return of the Prodigal Son (1661-1669, Hermitage) is a late biblical work. Slaughtered Ox (1655, Louvre) blends still life and genre painting.

Key facts

Self Portrait at the Age of 34 was painted in 1640 and is held by the National Gallery, London.
The Abduction of Europa (1632) is at the J. Paul Getty Museum.
The Storm on the Sea of Galilee (1633) was stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in 1990.
The Night Watch (1642) is on permanent loan to the Rijksmuseum from the Amsterdam Museum.
The Jewish Bride (1665-1669) is at the Rijksmuseum.
Saskia van Uylenburgh as Flora (1634) is at the State Hermitage Museum.
The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp (1632) is at the Mauritshuis.
Danaë (1636) was vandalized in 1985 and restored; it is at the Hermitage Museum.

Entities

Artists

Institutions

Locations

London, UK
California, CA, USA
Boston, MA, USA
Amsterdam, Netherlands
The Hague, Netherlands
St. Petersburg, Russia
Paris, France

Sources

DailyArt Magazine — 2026-06-12