“Rembrandt, of course!”

In this paper, I describe the events leading up to a breakthrough moment. This autobiographical account reveals how I first gained insight into the depths possible in qualitative research and qualitative portraiture in particular. Described is a personal experience and insights in comparing two portraits, one by Rembrandt van Rijn (1662) and one by Frans Hals (ca. 1650- 1655). That effort enabled, encouraged, and heightened my commitment and understanding in pursuing in-depth qualitative essentialist portraiture. Strands of my own life history are sketched to illustrate the long term interconnected experiences which supported inquiry into the unity of the person. First is a description of early work with young children’s cognitive development. Next is an account of my experience of becoming a master craftsman and my gaining insight into self-understanding. The third strand involves my working with teachers on educational action research. This sparked my interest in the study of the personal and professional growth of teachers articulated in qualitative portraiture.