Rembrandt van Rijn was born in 1606 in the prosperous Dutch city of Leiden. His father owned a mill and so the family was part of the prosperous middle class, the property owning class of the new Dutch Republic. His skill as a draughtsman soon led him to the big city of Amsterdam where any artist who was good could earn a very substantial income. Rembrandt was an immediate success. His portraits sold for high prices almost immediately and he worked very hard. In one year, 1632, he painted 50 paintings which earned him a huge income. For almost forty years, his paintings were valued and sold for high prices. When he died in 1669 he was one of the most famous artists of all time.