This French-German-Dutch biopic on the life of 17th century Dutch master Rembrandt van Rijn is told in flashbacks from the point-of-view of the aged artist. Soon after establishing his career as a painter in Amsterdam, he marries the radiant Saskia. As he makes a name for himself, he can soon afford to buy a large house by teaching wealthy aristocrats how to paint. However, the couple's happiness is short-lived; Saskia dies soon after bearing their son, Titus. Crushed, van Rijn seeks comfort first in the arms of his maid Geertje and then with his second wife, Hendrickje, who gives birth to a daughter. In spite of his genius, van Rijn's determinedly eccentric behavior alienates the very members of the elite who were paying his bills. At one point, the artist's home and belongings, including many of his paintings, are seized and sold for humiliatingly low prices in a rigged auction.
Klaus Maria Brandauer
Romane Bohringer
Jean Rochefort
Johanna ter Steege
Olivier Brocheriou
Jean-Philippe Écoffey
Caroline van Houten
Richard Bohringer
Franck de la Personne
Jacques Spiesser
Caroline Silhol
Nick Palliser
François Delaive
Léonard Matton
Aymeric Demarigny
Jean O'Cottrell
Jules Matton
Christian Chevreuse
Guillaume Beaufort
Björn Jung
Joël Barbouth
Christopher Granier-Deferre
Denis Hecker
Emanuel Booz
Patrick Boshart
Lou
Béatrice Avoine
Annick Brard
César Chiffre
Gerhard Fehn
Norbert Heisterkamp
Thomas Huber
Helga Jeske
Mathias Kniesbeck
Marja Kok
Manni Laudenbach
Pascale Lecussan
Georg Leumer
Volker Marek
Marie-Claude Mestral
Hanna Obbeek
Karin Palmieri
Doris Plenert
Hugo Alexander van Riet
Dagmar Sachse
Ludivine Sagnier
Pierre Siegenthaler
Pascal Tréguy
Sylvie Van Den Elsen
Pieter van der Sman
Bob van Tol