Ernst van de Wetering's wonderful book has taken us further than almost any study over the past twenty years, towards an understanding of the machinery of Rembrandt's genius. No one attempting to write about Rembrandt in the future will be able to do so without taking this fine work into account."--Simon Schama "Who would not have wanted to look over Rembrandt's shoulder while he painted? Among the countless books on Rembrandt, that by Ernst van de Weterring comes closest to conveying something of this experience because the author combines the qualifications of a trained connoisseur and of a practising painter."--Ernst Gombrich