This book reinterprets the artist's life and art by placing it firmly in its social and political context. Using contemporary sources and documents, the author builds up the background to each painting and a picture of the society in which Rembrandt lived and worked emerges. Revealing many new facts about Rembrandt's personal life and about his art, the author often creates unexpected patterns in the traditional fabric of the Rembrandt story. A complete record of all the artist's paintings is included in this biography.