What is a non-Rembrandt?

While Rembrandt is generally considered to be a unique artist, the exceptional nature of his work has been questioned by occasional public annoucements of problems of attribution, usually treated sensationally by the press and whenever possible hyped to the level of a scandal. One thinks, for example, of the Saul and David 212, The Polish Rider 236, or the Man with the golden helmet (fig. 12). These problems mostly stem from Rembrandt's teaching in which pupils imitated the work of the master as part of their trainings. This was normal practice in Rembrandt's time, as was the associated practice of combining teaching with commercial production, and should not be seen as detracting from Rembrandt's uniqueness as an artist, as Svetlana Alpers did in her book Rembrandt's Enterprise (1988). As a result of this workshop practice, the large production of works in Rembrandt's style, works actually painted by his pupils, can certainly lead to confusion.