The Goldfinch and the Dutch Golden Age: Remembering Carel Fabritius

Rembrandt worked slowly. The layers of time in each painting, the atmosphere in each layer, the depth and glow—these take time. He had fifty years to develop his indelible touch, leaving a legacy of masterpieces. His best and favorite student, Carel Fabritius, had (at most) 15 years to develop his artistry, dying at the age of 32. He left only a dozen paintings and nine drawings.

Born in 1622 during the Dutch Golden Age, Fabritius sits beautifully between Rembrandt and Vermeer. He was a member of the Delft School...