Happy Birthday July 15

The artist Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn was born on July 15, 1606 in Leiden in the Dutch Republic, now the Netherlands. In 1621 Rembrandt to dedicate himself fully to painting. His parents apprenticed him to a history artist, Jacob van Swanenburgh in his home town of Leiden, with whom he spent three years. After a brief but important apprenticeship in Amsterdam, Rembrandt opened a studio in Leiden

Self-Portrait with Beret and Turned-Up Collar (1659),

Rembrandt established his name with his 1632 painting Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp. This work established his name and made him famous. It gave Rembrandt access to the money-spinning society portrait paintings.  After the death of his wealthy wife Saskia in 1642, Rembrandt fell out of love with society and did not paint anymore lucrative society portraits. Rembrandt's fame waned from then on, only to be restored much later after his death.

Suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst was born Emmeline Goulden on July 15, 1858 in the Manchester suburb of Moss Side. Her father was a prosperous Calico printer with radical sympathies. A pretty, spirited girl, when she was small, Emmeline was consuming the Odyssey, Uncle Tom's Cabin, Pilgrim's Progress and abolitionist materials. Emmeline's earliest memories included hearing US suffragist Elizabeth Cady Stanton speak.

For more July 15 anniversaries, including the first European landfall in Alaska, the creation of margarine, the first shut out in baseball and the first sale of a Ford car, check out OnThatDay.