There is also an old man with full white beard and white hair that Rembrandt has pictured again and again.

This old man poses for “Lot,” “Abraham,” “Moses,” “A Beggar,” “A King,” and once he even figures as “The Almighty.”  Who he was we do not know, and surely he did not realize the honor done him, or he would have written a proud word of explanation to be carved on his tomb.

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In the Stuttgart Museum is a picture entitled, “Saint Paul in Prison,” signed by Rembrandt, with the date Sixteen Hundred Twenty-seven.  “The Money-Changers” in the Berlin Gallery bears the same signature and date.  Rembrandt was then twenty years of age, and we see that he was doing good work.  We also know that there was a certain market for his wares.

When twenty-two years of age his marvelous effects of light and shade attracted people who were anxious to learn how to do it.  According to report he had sixteen pupils in Sixteen Hundred Twenty-eight, each of whom paid him the fixed sum of one hundred florins.  This was not much, but it gave him an income equal to that of his father, and tended to confirm his faith in his own powers.

His energy was a surprise to all who had known him, for besides teaching his classes he painted, sketched and etched.  Most of his etchings were of his own face—­not intended as portraits, for they are often purposely disguised.  It seemed to be the intent of the artist to run the whole gamut of the passions, portraying them on the human face.  Six different etchings done in the year Sixteen Hundred Twenty-eight are to be seen in the British Museum.

His most intimate friend at this time was Jan Lievens.  The bond that united them was a mutual contempt for Lastman of Amsterdam.  In fact, they organized a club, the single qualification required of each candidate for admittance being a hatred for Lastman.  This club met weekly at a beer-hall, and each member had to relate an incident derogatory to the Lastman school.  At the close of each story, all solemnly drank eternal perdition to Lastman and his ilk.  Finally, Lastman was invited to join; and in reply he wrote a gracious letter of acceptance.  This surely shows that Lastman was pretty good quality, after all.

Rembrandt was making money.  His pupils spread his praise, and so many new ones came that he took the old quarters of Swanenburch.

In Sixteen Hundred Thirty-one, there came to him a young man who was to build a deathless name for himself—­Gerard Dou.  Then to complete the circle came Joris van Vliet, whose reputation as an engraver must ever take a first rank.  Van Vliet engraved many of Rembrandt’s pictures, and did it so faithfully and with such loving care that copies today command fabulous prices among the collectors.  Indeed, we owe to Van Vliet a debt for preserving many of Rembrandt’s pictures, the originals of which have disappeared.  With the help of Van Vliet the Elzevirs accomplished their wishes, and so made use of the talent of Rembrandt.