AMSTERDAM -- The commercial art world has not changed much in 400 years. Even in Rembrandt's day, a good artist needed a good dealer. Rembrandt's was Hendrick Uylenburgh, who introduced the young painter from Leiden to Amsterdam's elite, and helped him become the top portraitist of his day.
An exhibition opened Thursday of some of Rembrandt's works sold by Uylenburgh, and of paintings by others who built reputations through the dealer's business. It includes little-known works by Uylenburgh's brother Rombout and his son Gerrit, who eventually took over the dealership. The show is the latest in a series of special exhibits marking the 400th year of Rembrandt's birth on July 15, 1606.
The careers of Uylenburgh and Rembrandt were intricately linked and mutually beneficial almost from the day the 25-year-old artist arrived in Amsterdam -- then becoming the frenetic capital of European art and commerce and one of the world's richest cities. They collaborated for four years before Rembrandt went independent.
Rembrandt not only joined Uylenburgh's studio, he moved into his house and loaned him 1,000 guilders -- the equivalent of at least two year's wages for an average Dutchman -- to finance his art purchases.
Three years later, Rembrandt married his dealer's niece, Saskia, a happy match that lasted six years until she died at age 29. He also bought the house next door to Uylenburgh. The restored building, now known as Rembrandthuis, is the venue for the exhibit, Rembrandt and Uylenburgh, Dealing in Masterpieces, which closes Dec. 10.
The role of a 17th-century dealer would be recognizable in today's art market, curator Joop van der Veen said. The dealer worked with the painters, introduced them to patrons, swapped artworks with other dealers and exported works. Rembrandt was a huge talent who already had made a mark in his hometown of Leiden, and likely would have been successful without the dealer. But his tie-up with Uylenburgh jump-started his career in Amsterdam. "It boomed right from the start," van der Veen said. "Rembrandt never had to worry about a workshop, about housekeeping. He could focus on his art."
Rembrandthuis Museum: 31 (20) 520 0400; rembrandthuis.nl.
Rembrandt 400: holland.com/rembrandt400.