Rembrandt van Rijn was born in Leiden, The Netherlands in 1606. He attended Latin school as a young boy and then Leiden University at age 14. Rembrandt then began apprenticeships in studios in Leiden and Amsterdam. In 1631, he permanently moved to Amsterdam, first residing with the art dealer Hendrick van Uylenburgh, who not only brought him many portrait commissions but also introduced him to his niece, Saskia van Uylenburgh, who Rembrandt married in 1634. In Amsterdam and abroad, Rembrandt established himself as one of the leading painters, draftsman, and etcher of portraits, landscapes, and historical paintings.
In 1642, at the height of his career, Rembrandt’s beloved wife Saskia died, leaving him as sole parent to their young son, Titus. The tumultuous years that followed included bankruptcy and personal troubles, forcing him to sell his home and possessions. Yet up until his death he continued to receive important commissions and produced work that contributed to his vast influence on generations of artists. His prodigious life’s work includes several hundred paintings, of which nearly 60 are self-portraits, etchings and drawings.
Art historians have debated the identity of the young woman in this painting. Some early scholars thought she might be Machteld van Doorn, who was married to the successful ship Captain, Maerten Pietersz. It has been more widely suggested however, that she is Oepjen Coppit, a young bride from a prominent Amsterdam family. This revelation is based upon the close comparison to another known painting of Oepjen Coppit during the same time period and particularly upon close examination of her facial features, costume, and jewelry. There is no way of knowing if this comparison is in fact true and the real identification of the subject is still up for debate. The young woman in the portrait is portrayed in fashionable attire with a large, double-layered lace collar, ribbon and rosette around her waist, pearls at her throat, lace cap, and elegant drop earrings. Her long oval face, red hair, wide set eyes, and arched eyebrows are enhanced by a luminous complexion. The innocence of this young new bride is highlighted by her warm pink cheeks, soft red lips, and a vulnerable gaze.
It was Rembrandt’s new, more intimate style of portrait painting that gave rise to his success in Amsterdam as the most fashionable portraitist of the day. His ability to portray his subjects in a personal manner and capture the mood and character of each sitter is complimented by his skilled brushstroke and keen eye for precision. His proficiency in paint application and layering technique is evident in his work. Rembrandt’s use of a dark background against the lit figure provides a subtle interplay of warm and cool tints that bring the sitter to life.
After decades of war with Spain, the Dutch Republic was finally thriving and redefining its national identity as a prosperous and entrepreneurial country. The Dutch fleet dominated trade and a growing mercantile class attracted skilled workers to the shipbuilding and agriculture industries. Previously exclusive to royalty or the wealthy, art collecting began to include another social class. A successful merchant or banker could now afford to commission a painting of himself or his family. Rembrandt landed one of his first commissions from the new rising class of the Surgeon’s Guild for whom he painted the group portrait, The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolals Tulp (1632). It was this work that solidified young Rembrandt’s reputation as a master painter.
