Rembrandt, 'A Woman bathing in a Stream (Hendrickje Stoffels?)', 1654.

This small painting shows a young woman wading through a stream, lifting up her dress, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she is being watched. On the bank behind her lies a sumptuous robe, shimmering with bright red and gold colours.

The woman is thought to be Hendrickje Stoffels, who was Rembrandt's common-law wife in 1654, and who remained his companion until her death in 1663.

At first glance, the subject of this portrait seems fairly simple. If the model for Rembrandt's painting is Hendrickje, then we can see this as a straightforward affectionate and tender portrayal of the artist's mistress.

However, certain aspects of the picture confuse this idea, and have given art historians much food for thought over the years! Is it simply a portrait of Rembrandt's companion and lover, or is she meant to represent someone else? Could it be a preliminary study for a much larger painting, using Hendrickje as a useful free model?

As we learn more about the portrait and about Rembrandt's life at the time he painted it, we realise that there is more to this painting than first meets the eye...

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