Art historian John Walsh examines the secrets of Rembrandt's early success. Rembrandt developed his skills quickly in Leiden, the city of his birth. In his mid-20s, the artist moved to the booming metropolis of Amsterdam and became its finest portrait painter, lending his sitters strength and dignity. He produced small, finely finished narrative paintings as well, attracting the admiration of leading connoisseurs and patrons.

In Los Angeles alone, there are no fewer than 14 paintings, a dozen drawings, and nearly 300 etchings by Rembrandt van Rijn. In the first of six online lectures for the Hammer Museum, art historian, curator, and museum director John Walsh examines these works and Rembrandt's career in detail, including recent research, surprise reappearances, and shifting opinions about the artist and his achievements.