nt
personages that their portraits are still eagerly sought after by the
great ones of the earth. It was during the lifetime of Rembrandt
(1606-1669) that much of the wonderful development of Holland took place.
She had come to her greatness gradually, but by the middle of the
seventeenth century she occupied a leading place among the independent
nations of Europe. Great discoverers, like Henry Hudson, had given her
new dominions east and west, and colonization had begun. On the sea her
flag was supreme; her merchant marine, going to and from her own
possessions was seen in every port of the world; her admirals, Ruyter and
Tromp, had won her an illustrious place forever in the annals of naval
warfare. These were the days of Milton and Ben Jonson; of Cromwell,
Gustavus Adolphus and Richelieu; of Murillo, Rubens and Van Dyck--days when
Holland had within her own borders such men as Barneveld, the great
statesman; Grotius, the father of international law; Spinoza, the
philosopher and John de Witt, the Grand Pensioner--besides that noble group
of artists: Hals, Cuyp, Ruysdael, Potter, Steen and Ostade. These days,
too, saw the settling of many states in America, the founding of Quebec,
New York and Boston.

Strangely apart from all these history-making movements, and from his
peers among men, dwelt Rembrandt, the great master, in Amsterdam, serenely
happy to-day in painting a portrait of his loved Saskia, to-morrow in
etching the features of a wandering Jew. He had given himself, body and
soul, to his art, and no man or movement of men could distract him from
his work. Year by year his busy brain and dexterous hand produced
paintings, etchings, drawings, in slightly varying proportion, but always
in amazing quantity. For his forty-one productive years we find to his
credit the average annual output of thirteen paintings, nine etchings, and
thirty-nine drawings. And these numbers would be materially greater,
doubtless, had we a full record of his work.

A few decades ago the ordinary person thought of Rembrandt only as a great
painter; that time has fortunately passed. Modern engraving methods have
made it possible to spread broadcast reproductions of his etched work.
Thanks to these mechanical engraving-processes some of Rembrandt's
etchings are now familiarly known and, to a degree at least, they are
appreciated. No reproduction, however, can ever give the subtle quality
of the original, and a revelation comes