Rembrandt opened his first art studio at age 19, establishing it in Leiden in 1625.
Born in Leiden in 1606, Rembrandt had already trained with the Leiden painter Jacob van Swanenburgh and briefly studied with Pieter Lastman in Amsterdam. After returning to Leiden, he began working independently alongside his friend and fellow artist Jan Lievens. This early studio marked the start of his professional career as a painter and printmaker.
The date is sometimes given as 1624 or 1625, which is why biographies may describe him as 18 or 19. The commonly cited account places the studio’s opening in 1625, when Rembrandt was 19. He soon attracted attention for his history paintings, dramatic lighting, and unusually expressive faces.
A related milestone came in 1628, when Rembrandt began teaching pupils including Gerrit Dou. He later moved to Amsterdam, where he worked in Hendrick van Uylenburgh’s workshop and established the reputation that made him one of the Dutch Golden Age’s defining artists.