Rembrandt : Britain's Discovery of the Master

The story of Rembrandt's fame and influence in Britain, exploring his works in British collections and his influence on British artists from the 17th century to today.

This is the exceptionally rich story of Rembrandt''s fame and influence in Britain. No other nation has witnessed such a passionate - and sometimes eccentric - enthusiam for Rembrandt''s works. His imagery has become ubiquitous, making him one of the most recognised artists in history. In this book, some of the world''s leading experts reveal how the taste for Rembrandt''s paintings, drawings and prints evolved, growing into a mania that gripped collectors and art lovers across the country. This reached a fever pitch in the late 1700s, before the dawn of a new century ushered in a re-evaluation of Rembrandt''s reputation and opportunities for the wider public to see his masterpieces for themselves. The story of Rembrandt''s profound and inspirational impact on the British imagination is illustrated by over 130 sumptuous works by the master himself, as well as by some of Britain''s best-loved artists, including William Hogarth, James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Eduardo Paolozzi and John Bellany. Foreword; Introduction; 1 Rembrandt''s Fame in Britain, 1630 1900: An Overview- Christian Tico Seifert; 2 Rembrandt and Britain: The Modern Era - Patrick Elliott; 3 ''The Finest Possible State'': Cataloguing and Collecting Rembrandt''s Prints, c.1700 1840 - Stephanie S. Dickey; 4 From Studio to Academy: Copying Rembrandt in Eighteenth-century Britain - Jonathan Yarker; 5 Regarding Rembrandt: Reynolds and Rembrandt - Donato Esposito; 6 Rembrandt: Paragon of the Etching Revival - Peter Black; 7 Rembrandt and Britain: A ''Picture Flight'' in Three Stages, 1850 1930 - M.J. Ripps; Catalogue; Bibliography.