LEIDEN, THE NETHERLANDS, 1616:
THE DUTCH GOLDEN ERA

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Composed with vibrant historical and cultural detail, Becoming Rembrandt is a novel about the artist’s life that sheds light on his formative years from ten to seventeen. From apprentice to artist, from boy to man, Rembrandt learns what it means to endure.

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At age fourteen, Rembrandt begins a three-year apprenticeship with Jacob van Swanenburg, which transforms his artistic and professional development. Rembrandt learns foundational drawing and painting skills, and the reader witnesses his education in the workshop of a great Dutch master. However, the artist’s journey is not without trials and tribulations, as Rembrandt struggles with personal isolation and the pressures of public engagement.

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Rembrandt grows into a young man and seeks personal independence as his country seeks to stand on its own, free from Spanish rule. The creation of the Dutch East India Company in 1602 and military success in the war against Spain usher in an age of political self-rule and material wealth. When Rembrandt begins his journey, the world of art is on fire around him, and he longs to be part of it. However, his world presents obstacles: consumption threatens the community, hard work brings physical vulnerability, and religious tensions between Catholics and Protestants persist. Additionally, the Twelve-Year Truce with Spain is about to end, and the threat of political turmoil, once again, looms over the Netherlands. As his country fights for home rule, Rembrandt reaches for his own independence.

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Like Shakespeare, much about Rembrandt’s life remains a mystery. Using what is known and the imagination, a compelling portrait of his world emerges within the pages of Becoming Rembrandt. Rembrandt’s life as a boy—his coming of age and his becoming an artist—unfolds before our eyes. His journey reveals what it takes for a person to reach his potential—even when he doesn’t fit into his social milieu—through dedication and hard work, a willingness to learn and grow, and the strength to face life’s challenges. As written, Rembrandt’s journey is timeless and a lesson in perseverance for us all.