Cornelia is the daughter and caretaker of once reveered painter, Rembrandt van Rijn. Her beloved brother has just married and moved out and she is left with her nearly mad father and his awkward but devoted apprentice, Neel. Cornelia's dull life takes a romantic turn when she meets Carel, the son of wealthy shipping magnate and they share their love of painting. She begins to imagine herself living a courtly life when a dastardly family secret is revealed and her romantic ideals are shattered.
The story tries to give the historical and personal background to some of Rembrandt's most famous paintings (all is documented in strong historical notes at the end) but these parts don't really flow with the rest of the story very well, nice try though!. The reader does learn a great deal about how Rembrandt worked and how he truly felt he was "God's hand" when he painted.
Strong historical fiction with major ties to the art and art history world.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
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Second. I enjoyed taking a side-step into Rembrandt's day through the eyes of his illegitimate daughter. She is a well-portrayed character who is an admirable heroine. Her discovery of the circumstances under which she was born lends a mystery element that readers will enjoy.
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