Carel Fabritius’ Self-portrait (c. 1645, oil on panel, 65 x 49 cm.) was once believed to be the work of Rembrandt. Courtesy the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam

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.

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Born in 1622 during the Dutch Golden Age, Fabritius sits beautifully between Rembrandt and Vermeer. He was a member of the Delft School, but didn’t paint domestic scenes like Vermeer and Pieter de Hooch. He experimented, lightening his backgrounds, exploring spatial perspective, inventing scenes, playing with mythology. He matured swiftly, steadily, creating works that dazzle in their technical ability, refinement, and beauty.

His father was an amateur painter, and his two brothers also took up painting. The earliest known painting by Carel is The Beheading of John the........

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