Rembrandt | Portrait drawing

• "Life etches itself onto our faces as we grow older, showing our violence, excesses or kindnesses".

• "I envy the poet. He is encouraged toward drunkenness and wallows with nubile wenches while the painter must endure wretchedness and pain for his art".

• "But his faith is a faith that to him is real, and it is a faith, in my judgement, that sustained him through the hard times in his life".

• "For in these two paintings the greatest and most natural movement has been expressed, which is also the main reason why they have taken so long to execute".

• "Of course you will say that I ought to be practical and ought to try and paint the way they want me to paint. Well, I will tell you a secret. I have tried and I have tried very hard, but I can't do it. I just can't do it! And that is why I am just a little crazy".