hildren. I am giving you "The Wolf Charmer"
because he painted the picture for you. Mr. La Farge named this
picture as the one he liked best of his paintings.

[Illustration: Courtesy of John La Farge

FIG. 24. THE WOLF CHARMER. LA FARGE. Courtesy of the City Art Museum,
St. Louis]

THE OLD WOMAN CUTTING HER NAILS

REMBRANDT VAN RIJN (1607?-1669)

No artist in all history had a sadder life than Rembrandt. It was sad
because the people of Amsterdam were stupid and too blind to know that
a great man was living among them. Rembrandt could paint wonderful
portraits, and the rich people wanted their portraits painted. At
first all went well. The rich flocked to his studio and Rembrandt made
marvelous likenesses. Then the guilds of the great commercial houses
wanted pictures for their halls. They came to Rembrandt for these
pictures, but thinking that their money had bought the great artist
body and soul, they began to tell him how he should make the pictures
that each one might have equal prominence in it. Naturally Rembrandt
would not be bought off with money. His art was bigger than gold. The
picture that was really the turning point in his life was "The Night
Watch." I wish you would look at the picture again. You see the men
away back in the picture were jealous that they were not put in the
front row. All they cared for was to have a fine portrait of
themselves and Rembrandt was only interested in making a great
picture.

Rembrandt went on painting but no one bought his pictures. Many
sorrows came to him. It was when the world had forsaken him that he
painted "The Old Woman Cutting her Nails." Now you can understand why
Rembrandt could paint an old woman with human sympathy. We could love
that old woman because the unkindness of the world made her more
tender and true to suffering humanity. She is the old grandmother we
would go to if we were in trouble.

[Illustration: FIG. 25. THE OLD WOMAN CUTTING HER NAILS. REMBRANDT.
Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City]

THE SPINNER

NICOLAES MAES (1632-1693)

This old woman is spinning flax. Have you ever seen a flax wheel? When
you go to Holland try to visit Dordrecht, and if possible, go into a
real Dutch home. There you may see some one, the grandmother maybe,
spinning flax; then you will know that this picture is an actual
scene.

Nicolaes Maes, who painted the picture, was born in Dordrecht or Dort.
This city is said to be