Rembrandt is In the Wind

What does art reveal about the world? In Rembrandt is In the Wind, Russ Ramsey reveals how we can learn to love art through the eyes of faith.

After a stirring foreword by Makoto Fujimura, Ramsey takes his readers on a behind-the-scenes tour of some of the world’s most celebrated artists and works. Ramsey guides you through their stories, showing you the spiritual realities that echo in their lives and art. Ramsey brings in biblical passages to help show you what he sees.

Real Stories with Spiritual Reality

I was most interested to learn about the lives of the artists. Struggling, striving, and sometimes starving – I was able to see them as real people. I was most moved to see Michelangelo and his passion for beauty, displayed in his depiction of David. He was unparalleled in his ability, and he sought after perfection. Ramsey explains how we are all connected in this pursuit of perfection – of eternal glory.

Ramsey’s skill at connecting story with spiritual reality is masterful. I was introduced to the work of Johannes Vermeer, and his interest in experimenting with lenses and light is fascinating. Ramsey concludes that Vermeer was not “tricking” or cheating by using an optical device. Rather, he was learning to see what was truly there. He was able to see light in the way that the naked eye cannot, and this gave him insight in illuminating his subjects. All this light, by which we see, is borrowed from God.

Captivating and Enchanting

In the penultimate chapter, Ramsey takes us to Edward Hopper. His realist paintings give a sense of isolation and longing. I learned that the subject in his paintings was his wife, Josephine. Ramsey notes they had a strained relationship, but his paintings acknowledge them as being connected, even until the end of their days. I was met with a sense of longing in my own life, for connecting deeper with those I love.

Captivating and enchanting, this book will make you wonder at the world. You will see more behind these famous works of art. You will find depth in the lives of the artists. And you will feel hope in a God who has sculpted a story of goodness, truth, and beauty – for all of the world to see.

I was provided a media copy of Rembrandt is In the Wind and this is my honest review. Find more of my book reviews and follow Dive In, Dig Deep on Instagram - my account dedicated to Bibles and books to see the beauty of the Bible and the role of reading in the Christian life. To read all of my book reviews and to receive all of the free eBooks I find on the web, subscribe to my free newsletter.