Artwork
Saskia as Flora
Saskia as Flora is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Rembrandt. It dates from 1641 and is held in the collection of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden.
About this work
Rembrandt painted this portrait of his wife, Saskia, in 1641. It shows her dressed as Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers. The oil paint brings her face and dress to life.
This isn’t just a pretty picture. Rembrandt and Saskia were married in real life. He often painted her, making this a rare glimpse of his personal world.
Look up Rembrandt to see more of his work.
Overview
Created in 1641, this oil on canvas portrays Saskia van Uylenburgh, the wife of the Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn. Depicted as the Roman goddess Flora, she holds a red carnation, a motif that underscores the work’s allegorical dimension. The painting is part of the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden, where it remains on display.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is presented in the guise of Flora, the deity associated with spring and blossoms, linking the portrait to themes of fertility and renewal. By casting his spouse in this mythological role, Rembrandt blends personal affection with classical symbolism, offering a nuanced view of their domestic bond within the broader cultural language of the seventeenth‑century Netherlands.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil, the work demonstrates Rembrandt’s mastery of chiaroscuro, with a soft illumination that models Saskia’s facial features and the delicate folds of her gown. The painter’s brushwork captures the texture of the fabric and the subtle sheen of the flower, while the muted palette and restrained background focus attention on the figure’s expressive presence.
History & Provenance
After remaining in the artist’s family, the canvas entered the collection of Dutch nobleman Gerard Bicker van Zwieten, who listed it for sale at an auction on 12 April 1741. The following year it was purchased by Augustus III of Poland from the Araignon collection in Paris and incorporated into his Dresden Kunstkammer, where it has stayed since.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (15 July 1606 – 4 October 1669), known mononymously as Rembrandt, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker, and draughtsman.
