Additional texteDescription: “The Kitchen Maid” is considered by many to be one of Rembrandt’s most representative works. The warm shades of red, brown and yellow, and the vivid depiction of the girl, make this one of his true masterpieces.
One might assume that Rembrandt had a special person, perhaps someone in his household, as a model, someone he knew well, since he has given her such a distinct character. However it was not his Hendrickje, the woman he was living with in 1651. She was 25 years old by then and the girl in “The Kitchen Maid” is probably somewhat younger. In the middle of the 17th century, Rembrandt painted a series of paintings on the borderline between portraits and genre pictures of young women. Nationalmuseum’s collection includes a series of drawings with a similar composition, where the model is resting on her elbows.
Description: Around 1650 Rembrandt produced several similar half-length paintings of women, reminiscent of The Kitchen Maid. His vivid image of a girl at a window is painted with broad brushstrokes and sharp contrasts between light and shadow. The warm red of the jacket offers a harmonious contrast to the white blouse and the dark background. The painting was owned by Count Johan Gabriel Stenbock, who travelled abroad, including to the Netherlands, in the 1670s.
Catalogue text: Ever since it came to Sweden in the late 17th century, The Kitchen Maid, with its lively portrayal of the girl in the window, has been regarded as a masterpiece by Rembrandt. Around 1650 he produced a series of similar genre paintings of half-length female figures. It is assumed that in this case the artist was depicting someone he knew well, given the highly personal characterisation of the figure. The ainting is executed with broad brushstrokes and sharp contrasts of light and shadow. The warm red of the jacket contrasts harmoniously with the white blouse and the dark background.
