Looking for Rembrandt

In the first of three episodes we learn how Rembrandt arrived in Amsterdam ‘like a thunderclap' and was courted by the city's wealthy elite, before falling into conflict with the city's most powerful patrons. Jones explores the highs and lows of Rembrandt's personal life too: from the new-found riches enjoyed with his wife, Saskia van Uylenburgh, to the tragedies that unfolded before him, leading to some of his most celebrated work.

The second of three episodes begins with the painting of Rembrandt's most iconic work - The Night Watch. We explore how events surrounding its creation began a 10-year decline in the artist's painterly output, with his attention diverted to creating erotically-charged etchings inspired by a series of affairs. With a reputation as the city's notorious marital embarrassment, and unable to manage his debts, Rembrandt declared bankruptcy - an act that came to define him even in the centuries after his death.

In the final episode of this three-part series, we explore Rembrandt in his twilight years. Desperate for money, he takes on commissions that his pupils have rejected, and he looks for creative ways to divert money into his pocket as all of his possessions are taken by creditors. His work takes on a new style, embracing humanity rather than hubris - but this is not to everyone's taste. Left only with his paint brushes and his memories, we see the final self-portrait of a great painter who never stopped experimenting, never stopped searching: a genius still recognised four centuries after his death.