Rembrandt, A Woman Bathing in a Stream
1654Paintings sorted by Historical period | Painter | Subject matter | Pigments used
Overview
Rembrandt, A Woman bathing in a Stream is an exceptional work in its spontaneity and masterful handling of the subject. The model is most probably Rembrandt’s lover Hendrickje Stoffels but the rich robe on the left might also suggest a biblical or mythological figure. The pigment analysis revealed a palette consisting of red, brown and yellow ochres, bone black, charcoal black, lead white, and vermilion.
Characterization of this painting by the scientists of the Rembrandt Research Project (3):
“Although at first sight this well preserved work may appear sketchily executed, it is a very subtle painting, epitomising
Rembrandt’s artistic and pictorial genius. Its authenticity has never been questioned.”
Medium: oil Support: oak
Size: 61.8 x 47 cm
Art period: Baroque
National Gallery London
NG54
Painting in the Rembrandt Database
Pigments
Pigment Analysis
This pigment analysis is based on the work of the scientists at the National Gallery London (1).
1 Reflection of the red dress in water: red lake glaze with small quantities of red ochre and yellow lake.
2 Browner areas of the reflection of the red dress in water: red lake glaze mixed with greater quantities of ochres of various colors and yellow lake.
3 Opaque areas on the water surface: ochres with red and yellow lake.
4 Flesh paint on woman’s shin: ochres and black mixed with lead white.
5 Dark areas on the water surface: the principal pigment is bone black.
6 Flesh paint on woman’s breast: lead white tinted with small amounts of charcoal black, brown, red and yellow ochres, red lake, vermilion, and traces of azurite.
7 Woman’s shift (chemise): a mixture of white and black tinted with red in the warmer areas.
8 Yellow highlights on woman’s robe: orange and yellow ochres.
9 Background in the left edge: a single layer of translucent black and brown pigment suspended in a matrix of red and yellow lake.
10 Yellow highlights on the background foliage: yellow ochre and yellow lake.
References
(1) Bomford, D. et al., Art in the making: Rembrandt, New edition, Yale University Press, 2006, pp. 138-145.
Pigments Used in This Painting
Resources
See the collection of online and offline resources such as books, articles, videos, and websites on Rembrandt in the section ‘Resources on Painters‘
PowerPoint Presentations
Painter in Context: Rembrandt
A richly illustrated presentation on the painting technique and pigments employed by Hieronymus Bosch specially crafted for Art Education. (Number of Slides = 20)
- Each presentation starts with the basic resources on the painter such as his biography, main catalogs of his paintings, and a bibliography.
- Next, you find slides describing the painting technique of the artist and the pigments he usually employed in his work.
- The majority of the slides show examples of paintings containing the specific pigments.
The majority of the slides show important examples of paintings where Rembrandt employed specific pigments. The slides are organized according to the color of the pigments.
Videos
Video: 'Rembrandt's Women' by Rembrandt Tour
Publications and Websites
Publications
(1) Bomford, D. et al., Art in the making: Rembrandt, New edition, Yale University Press, 2006, pp. 138-145.
(2) Jan Leja, Rembrandt’s “Woman Bathing in a Stream“, Simiolus: Netherlands Quarterly for the History of Art, Vol. 24, No. 4 (1996), pp. 320-327.
(3) Ernst Van De Wetering, Rembrandt — A woman wading in a pond (Callisto in the wilderness), London, The National Gallery, in A Corpus of Rembrandt Paintings, Volume 5 of the series, Stichting Foundation, Rembrandt Research Project, pp 519-534.
A Corpus of Rembrandt Paintings, Volumes I – VI, by the scientists of The Rembrandt Research Project are available on the website of The Rembrandt Database in pdf-Format.
