Rembrandt, Saskia in Arcadian Costume
1635Rembrandt, Saskia in Arcadian Costume
1635Paintings sorted by Historical period | Painter | Subject matter | Pigments used
Overview
Image credit: National Gallery London
Medium: Oil
Support: Canvas
Size: 123.5 x 97.5 cm
Art period: Baroque
National Gallery London
Inventory number: NG4930
Painting in the Rembrandt Database
The X-ray examination of this painting revealed a completely different original composition. Rembrandt first painted a second figure with a hat to the right of Saskia and Saskia’s pose was also different from the present state. Two radiograph images can be found in The Rembrandt Database (1).
Characterization of this painting by the scientists of the Rembrandt Research Foundation (2):
“A reasonably well preserved, authentic and characteristic work from 1635. An earlier picture, of Judith, was altered by Rembrandt into the present one, and the canvas then probably somewhat reduced. At a later date, probably after 1756, the canvas must have been further reduced a little at the right, top and bottom.”
(1) The Rembrandt Database, Radiographic examination, Rembrandt, Portrait of Saskia van Uylenburgh as Flora, dated 1635, National Gallery (London), London, inv. no. 4930
(2) J. Bruyn, B. Haak, S. H. Levie, P. J. J. Van Thiel, E. Van De Wetering, Flora, in A Corpus of Rembrandt Paintings, Stichting Foundation Rembrandt Research Project Volume 3, 1989, pp 148-160.
Pigments
Pigment Analysis
This pigment analysis is based on the work of scientists at the National Gallery London (1).
1 The waistband of Saskia: the yellow highlights consist of lead-tin-yellow, yellow ochre, and lead white. The blue-green spots are painted in azurite mixed with the yellow and white pigments mentioned before.
2 Rose in the bouquet: vermilion underpaint overglazed with red lake
3 Bluish-green overskirt: pale body colour overpainted with azurite and then glazed with yellow glaze
4 Blue flower: pale body colour overpainted with azurite
5 Deep green foliage in the bouquet: a layer of deep blue azurite overpainted with a thin layer of intense black paint
6 Light green foliage: azurite mixed with lead-tin-yellow and yellow ochre
7 The deep green veil to the proper right of Saskia’s head: azurite mixed with other pigments
8 Shadow on Saskia’s left proper hand holding the bouquet: azurite, yellow lake, vermilion, ochres, black pigment, and lead white
References
(1) Bomford, D. et al., Art in the making: Rembrandt, New Edition, Yale University Press, 2006, pp 89-99.
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 & Saskia Exhibition' by Fries Museum 2018 | Irene Veltman
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 89-99.
(2) J. Bruyn, B. Haak, S. H. Levie, P. J. J. Van Thiel, E. Van De Wetering, Flora, in A Corpus of Rembrandt Paintings, Stichting Foundation Rembrandt Research Project Volume 3, 1989, pp 148-160.
(3) Julia Lloyd Williams, with a contribution by S.A.C. Dudok van Heel, Rembrandt’s women, Catalogue of an exhibition held in 2001 in Edinburgh (National Gallery of Scotland) and London (Royal Academy of Arts)
271 pp.
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.
Websites
The Rembrandt Database, Object information, Rembrandt, Portrait of Saskia van Uylenburgh as Flora, dated 1635, National Gallery (London), London, inv. no. 4930
