Artwork
Woman at the Bath with a Hat beside Her
Woman at the Bath with a Hat beside Her is an ink print by the Baroque artist Rembrandt. It dates from 1658 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1658, this print by Rembrandt van Rijn depicts a solitary woman seated in a bathtub. She is nude, holding a cloth draped over her shoulder, while a hat rests on the tub’s rim. The composition is set against a dark, loosely rendered background that lends the scene an intimate, almost enigmatic atmosphere.
Subject & Meaning
The work captures a private moment of bathing, emphasizing the vulnerability and sensuality of the figure. The juxtaposition of the exposed body with the ordinary hat suggests a tension between everyday objects and the intimate act of undressing, inviting contemplation of modesty and exposure.
Technique & Style
Rembrandt employed both etching and dry‑point, the latter allowing him to incise fine, burr‑rich lines that convey the texture of skin and fabric. These delicate strokes produce a web‑like quality that mimics brushwork, while the darker, sketchy areas of the background reinforce the chiaroscuro effect characteristic of his printmaking.
History & Provenance
The print is part of Rembrandt’s late oeuvre, a period marked by experimentation with dry‑point and a focus on intimate genre scenes. It was produced in his workshop in Amsterdam and later circulated among collectors of Dutch prints, contributing to the artist’s reputation as a master of tonal variation in the medium.
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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.
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