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A Young Woman in a Bergère ("Saskia as Flora")
- Original dimensions
- 50.5 x 66.7 cm
Scene depicted
The canvas depicts a young woman adorned with a crown of flowers, evoking an atmosphere of peace and natural beauty. The gentle gaze of the young woman addresses the viewer with an angelic softness, inviting a moment of contemplation. Rembrandt 's composition blends realism and idealization, offering a portrait that transcends time.
Historical context
Œuvre : A Young Woman as a Shepherdess (“Saskia as Flora”) |BRK| Artiste : Rembrandt |BRK| Année : 1650 |BRK| Musée : Metropolitan Museum of Art |BRK| Dimensions : 50.5 x 66.7 cm |BRK|
Place in the artist's career
This painting represents a pivotal period in Rembrandt 's career, illustrating the maturation of his style. It is at this moment that he fully exploits light and contrast, a technique already visible in The Night Watch and which will reach its peak in later works such as The Return of the Prodigal Son. The painting A Young Woman as a Shepherdess testifies to this evolution and Rembrandt 's penchant for intimate and moving representations.
Anecdote
It is said that Rembrandt was inspired by a soft morning light filtering through a window, illuminating the serene face of Saskia, his beloved muse. “Light is the soul of painting ,” he is said to have declared, capturing this essence with delicate attention in his works, including the painting we discover today, A Young Woman as a Shepherdess.